Macross II: Past and Future
by Wega the blue sun
Summary: Find out what happens before and after the events of the movie! Story contains mature subject matter and adult themes.
1. Chapter 1

Macross II: Past and Future 

A Macross II fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the characters of MII don't belong to me and I'm not making any money off them. Only the story and the OC's in it belong to me, and I'm still not making any money!

A/N: MII: Lovers again is probably the least popular component of Macross and after much controversy has even been relegated to take place in an alternate timeline. And yet none of this matters to the few of us who proudly love this innocent little movie/series, we retain our affection no matter how others go on about how inferior it is to DYRL etc. etc. blahblahblah. The longwinded arguments concerning MII have filled many forums with tediously repetitive and increasingly bitter discussions. Considering all these facts, it's not surprising that few MII fan fics exist. Still, I feel that the story line has merit and I've decided to fill the lamentable void with this brand new fic, partly in the hope that other MII fans will also post their stuff! My story begins before the events of the movie, and will end many years after the defeat of Ingues. Readers will find most of the characters from the original series and a few new ones. Chapters will be posted as quickly as my RL permits, and the story rating may also increase, so keep an eye out for updates and review after you read! Enjoy!

Ch. 1 Fateful encounters

The tall young man carefully examined his reflection in the mirror and was pleased with what he saw. The dress uniform fit him like a glove and showed off his lean physique, hardened by constant training. He'd taken particular care to apply his facial markings as neatly as possible, sloppy marks were the hallmark of a careless commander. The bold lines enhanced his chiseled features and made him look even fiercer. And for once his stubborn hair was behaving agreeably and remained neatly brushed back. Yes, he was the very picture of a highly motivated junior commander, squared away in all the details and keen to prove himself worthy of the Masters trust, Lord Feff nodded and the man in the mirror returned the gesture just as crisply.

It wasn't just simple vanity that made him check his appearance, his motives were far nobler that that. An important event was about to take place, and soon much attention would be focused on him. Emperor Ingues had looked upon him with favor, and Feff was determined to make the best use of the opportunity he'd been given. Without further delay he strode out of his quarters and proceeded to his destination. The Masters had invited him and a few thousand of his fellow Lords and it wasn't advisable to show up late to the ceremony.

On the way he encountered a few familiar faces in the crowd, but there was no time to catch up with acquaintances, so Feff left it at hastily nodded greetings as he proceeded towards the holiest place in the Emperor's homebase. As he joined the tightly packed procession of officers streaming into the cavernous hall, the young man felt his heartbeat speed up. This was always the case when he entered into the presence of the Master, but today his excitement was also fueled by the anticipation of the upcoming ceremony. Very soon, in just a matter of minutes he would receive his very own emulator, Lord Feff thought as he lined up with the other Marduk commanders. Some were battle scarred veterans of many campaigns, their facial markings tiny slashes of drab color on their timeworn faces, but many others were young and eager for their promotions. All had taken care with their appearance, they too understood the importance of making a good impression at first sight.

Feff squared his shoulders and stood even taller. He wanted a good look at what was about to be revealed and his excitement grew as the hall filled to capacity. The air hummed with the nervous energy of the Lords and Feff stood his ground while some of the men shifted in their places. How much longer would it be before he met his new emulator face to face, he wondered as the hushed voices of thousands rose and time slowed down to a crawl.

Ingues woke reluctantly from sweet dreams of holy conquest when the distorted voice of his attendant whispered that the assembly of the Lords was ready. His field of vision cleared, and a tiny smile tugged at the corners of his sculpted lips. There they were, his proud warriors, anxiously awaiting the magnificent offerings Lady Elensh had prepared according to his orders. The Emperor sighed as he recalled the distant past. Once he'd dreaded this ceremony, and the multitude of conflicting emotions it awoke within his people. The participants eagerness to meet their counterparts struck him as unseemly, until he'd realized that despite all the changes he'd imposed on the people, remnants of the old ways remained in their psyche. Not only had he learned to accept these tattered shreds of ancient feelings, he'd learned to exploit them to his advantage. The Marduk were making such good progress, each new generation had far fewer deviants than the previous. These minions of his responded so well to training, he thought as the smile spread further across his elegant features.

Only the most dedicated and pure of heart could help him achieve the lofty goal he'd set for the people, but the Marduk thrived on challenge. This chaotic universe needed their sanctified presence, its confusion ached for their stern order and discipline. It was an ambitious plan, but the warriors here were manifestations of his unbending will, embodiments of his dedication and he knew how much they yearned to cleanse the realm. Soon these proud knights would carry his teachings to the edge of the universe, and neither he nor they would stop before all creation bowed to the steely gospel of Marduk.

Lady Elensh surveyed the crowd of young women and tried to suppress her growing sense of imminent loss. No matter how she prepared herself for the inevitable, she always felt like this when a new group of emulators was ready for service. Here they stood, her bright acolytes, unaware of what they were about to encounter. Their first step beyond the confines of the temple - the only home they'd ever known - would bring them in touch with a harsh reality. Elensh's heart ached with the knowledge of what awaited these girls, because not so long ago she'd been one of them.

She'd trained the maidens to the best of their abilities, and confidence was evident in their proud bearing. Today these emulators would begin their lifelong service to the empire, but many would never return to the temple. And although Elensh reminded herself that it was an honor to die for Ingues and the cause, she still mourned the loss of many she'd grown fond of. Of course it was heresy to even harbor such thoughts and feelings, but on rare occasions like today Elensh allowed herself to experience the powerful rush of forbidden emotions.

From where she stood the nervous crowd of waiting males was invisible, just as the emulators were still hidden to the eyes of the men, but all too soon the two groups would meet for the first time. The high priestess knew the scenario well enough, she'd participated in the event more times that she cared to count. As soon as the women were revealed the men across the room would turn towards them: pupils dilated and nostrils flared, the hunters would use their sharp senses to fully take in their prey. Soon after the girls would leave her protection and, together with the Lords they were now pledged to serve, would immerse themselves in the cold embrace of eternal war. It was the Marduk way of life, and it would remain as long as the universe was uncleansed.

She sighed as the moments passed. A ripple of excitement ran through the colorful ranks of the young women, they were ready to meet their destiny and prove their devotion. Elensh scanned the group but failed to locate a particular individual. Where was her protege, she wondered. The foremost position she'd intended for Ishtar was still empty, and the ceremony was about to begin. Sharp anger instantly replaced the foreboding she'd just indulged in as the high priestess rushed off to search for her missing acolyte.

Ishtar shrank against the wall as the towering dark figure moved closer towards her. In her mad rush to get to the assembly she'd failed to pay attention to her surroundings, but that didn't excuse nor explain the man's presence. What was he doing here? No male was permitted on temple grounds, and trespassers faced immediate and severe punishment. And yet it was obvious that the sallow faced man cared nothing about the rules, and this arrogance scared Ishtar. She didn't know his name, but the facial markings distinguished him as one of the high officer's cadre. From the shadows he'd stepped into her way, and cleverly used his bulk to keep her from leaving. What does he want from me, she thought frantically as his colorless eyes remained fixed on hers, his glare almost a physical thing. He was repulsive in his insistence and seemed to derive enjoyment from her plight. "I ask you again, Lady, what is your name?", he whispered, his harsh voice clearly more accustomed to shouting orders. Ishtar tried to shake off her fear. She'd been warned about men like him. Hushed rumors of deviants and the terrible things they did to hapless emulators filled her mind, and she was desperate to escape.

"Thank you for finding my acolyte, Lord Toht!", the voice of Lady Elensh suddenly filled the corridor and Ishtar relaxed as her fear began to drain off. She was saved! Surely the man wouldn't defy the high priestess, she thought as she slipped out from under the man's wavering gaze and hurried to the older woman's side. "You must have lost your way, otherwise you'd know that you've entered temple grounds. Allow me to call the guard to escort you back to your quarters", Elensh said, her voice sharp with barely suppressed fury. His bluff called, the sullen Lord retreated slightly. "That won't be necessary. As you said, I lost my way. Forgive my intrusion!" He strode by the two women and turned to Ishtar as the last moment. "My apologies if I frightened you, Lady. Maybe we'll meet again soon? I am to receive a new emulator today ...", he added and bared his sharp teeth in a menacing snarl as he walked off.

"Are you well? Did he harm you in any way?", Elensh whispered urgently as the dark figure retreated into the depth of the corridor. Ishtar shook her head and dropped to her knees. "Why didn't you call for help?", the high priestess scolded. "Forgive me, Lady, but he caught me unawares", Ishtar pleaded. "I hurried to join the others when ..." " Rise, young emulator! We don't have time for this!", Elensh said and motioned to Ishtar. "Put this encounter out of your mind, I want you to be calm for the ceremony!".

Just before they entered the great hall Ishtar turned towards the priestess. "Is he the one?", she asked hesitantly, afraid of the answer, but Elensh merely shook her head. "I told you not to think about him!", she replied as she guided the girl towards her assigned position. "You will never see him again", she added just as bright lights filled the enormous room. The ceremony was underway.

Feff took a deep breath as the females came into view. The distance between the two groups was large enough to make details indistinct, and the overall impression of the women was one of soft colors and elegant shapes. The long, dark capes the emulators wore concealed their bodies, and their elaborate facial markings obscured their features, but they all appeared to be beautiful. One of these bright creatures belonged to him, but which? Was it the one whose golden curls glowed like a halo? Or was it the bluehaired girl to the left, he wondered as his eyes darted from one emulator to the next. For the first time in his life Feff was only dimly aware of the Emperor's voice, his attention fully focused on the extraordinary sight before him. Had he looked to either side he'd witnessed the rapt attention the other Lords were paying to the women, but he was too absorbed to spare a moment. Now a female's voice filled the air, and Feff recognized the stately figure of the high priestess who'd taken up a position between the two groups. After a seemingly endless time the speeches came to an end and at the priestess's signal the Lords rushed forward to take possession of their new emulators.

"Lord Feff, please meet Lady Ishtar!", Elensh announced and motioned for him to step closer. The woman next to the priestess was very young and quite lovely. Long blue hair framed a small face dominated by sparkling eyes and pastel orange markings. The girl glanced shyly at him and Feff wondered what she was thinking of at this moment. Was she pleased to be assigned to him? In the presence of this delicate apparition he was suddenly assailed by the strangest thoughts. What would it feel like to run his fingers through her unbound hair? Surely that rippling stream of pale blue had to be as silky as it looked. He'd never touched a woman, since even the most casual contact was strictly forbidden by the rules he'd pledged his life to. The sheer deviancy of these inappropriate thoughts startled him and he struggled to regain control of his wandering focus.

Ishtar waited patiently for the tall man to say something. For a moment he'd almost looked confused, but now he'd recovered his composure and he bowed his head politely in greeting. Ishtar hastened to return the gesture, gave the appropriate response she'd practiced and Elensh nodded her approval. She'd heard only good things about this young Lord, and she'd made certain that Ishtar would be assigned to his fleet. Although he had a reputation as a fierce fighter, he wasn't known to be cruel or abusive to his subordinates, which made him a rarity amongst his peers. She motioned for the couple to be on their way since there was nothing more she could do for Ishtar and she sighed as the two young people walked away. May you serve well, she repeated the phrases she'd quoted during the ceremony. May you fight well and bring honor to the name of Marduk, and may you return from the field of battle, she added as the lights dimmed. The great ceremony was finally over and all her girls were gone.


	2. Chapter 2

+Macross II: Past and Future 

A MII fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the characters of Macross II don't belong to me and I'm not making any money off them. Only the story and the OC's in it belong to me, and I'm still not making any money whatsoever!

Ch. 2 Introduction to a new life

"Beyond these doors are your personal quarters and the meditation area, Lady Ishtar. The transmission room is directly accessable from there, please familiarize yourself with the equipment", Feff said, gesturing toward a closed entry at the front of a short corridor. Although he was the captain of the vessel, he along with the rest of the crew was prohibited from entering these chambers. "The temple has sent over your belongings, but be certain to let me know if you require anything else." The young woman nodded but made no move to leave, she knew the commander had to complete one more task before she officially became a member of his crew. "We'll leave homebase soon and proceed to the practise area. Once there I want you to participate in a battle simulation", Feff continued and brandished a wide metal cuff. Ishtar compliantly held out her arm, and without touching the girl's skin Feff quickly slipped the band over her slender wrist. A moment later a chirping sound indicated that the device had been activated. A flicker of light pulsed rapidly within the recessed part of the brightly polished cuff, then faded away.

No mere adornment, the sophisticated device had just transmitted the emulators vital statistics to the fleets computer systems, and a constant communications loop with the Zentran troops had been established. Ishtar bowed slightly to express her acceptance of the visible symbol of her duty, and resisted an impulse to scratch where the unacustomed contact of the bracelet chafed her tender skin. "I will be ready whenever you need me, Lord Feff!", she said as the commander activated the door lock. He lowered his gaze respectfully as Ishtar walked by and entered the chambers. The doors closed behind her with a soft swoosh and Feff took a deep breath. The short interaction had been unexpectedly stressful, particularily the application of the bracelet, and it had him taken some effort to conceal his nervousness. But throughout the emulator had remained cool and calm, and he liked her confident attitude. Provided her battle performance was equally remarkable, and there was no reason to assume otherwise since she'd come with the highest recommendations, his fleet was now completely outfitted and ready for action.

Ishtar looked around the unfamiliar, softly lit space. Despite the tasteful arrangement there was a sterile quality about the room, as if she was the first living being to set foot into it. And in fact no other emulator had lived here, this ship was fresh off the dock and had never seen service before, the commander had said. Ishtar slowly walked through the quarters, exploring every nook and cranny of her new domain. Considering that the relationship between commander and emulator was severed only upon the death or decommission of either, this apartment would probably be her last home, she thought as Elensh's instructions ran through her mind. Ishtar wasn't afraid to die, but she missed the temple. The only other home she'd ever known was already filled with a new group of acolytes eager to submit to the same training she'd just graduated from, and her cozy little room had a new occupant. "Embrace war and make the battle field your home!", Elensh had repeated until it became a familiar mantra.

Ishtar breathed a sigh of relief as she recognized the large flowering plant on the table. Just the day before it'd decorated Lady Elensh's personal rooms, she thought and gently brushed against the fleshy orange petals. A light perfume scented the air. Relieved and invigorated, the young emulator searched until she'd located the container with her personal belongings. When she pulled out the meager contents, a holographic slate tumbled into her hands. The image showed her graduating class asssembled before the massive monument honoring emulators who'd given their life in service. Wherever her fingers rested upon the glassy surface of the slate, a larger detail of the image appeared and for several minutes Ishtar studied the somber faces of her colleagues. What were their assignments like, she wondered, were their commanders as respectful as the young Lord she was now pledged to serve? One of the girls in the picture had the bad luck of being assigned to Lord Toht, and she shuddered imagining that emulator's future. How easily that could have been her fate, she mused, reflecting on the twist of fortune that had brought her together with Lord Feff, who despite his stern and taciturn demeanor failed to inspire any fear in her.

A low rumble pulled her out of her meditations. The ship was under power and departing from the homebase, and Ishtar hurried into the transmission room. The vast chamber was barely lit, but she'd trained so often in a perfect replica of the room that she had no trouble locating the hoverchair in the gloom. She shrugged off her cape before she entered the chair which swiftly and silently rose to the top of the elegant structure. Ishtar relaxed as the soft material of the chair cradled her in a recumbent position. Soon the simulation would begin, and she was determined to ace this test, she thought, practising the breathing techniques she'd learned at the temple.

"Lord Feff, the emulator has entered the transmission chamber and activated the system. Shall I establish visual contact?", one of the bridge techs asked and Feff snapped out an affirmative. One of the large view screens flickered to life. Despite the surrounding darkness Ishtar was plainly visible. No longer covered by the dark cloak, the glowing lines of her body suit affirmed that she was fully integrated into the ship's systems and ready to transmit to the Zentran warriors. It was a lovely picture, Feff thought, laid out like as if in a golden vessel the girl resembled a precious gift, and the sight of her voluptious figure rendered him momentarily speechless. "Are you ready, Lady?", he finally asked and Ishtar's soft reply came right away. Now he'd see if this emulator's skills were everything they'd been praised to be.

Ishtar was more than ready to prove herself to the commander. Her future depended on his satisfaction with her performance. To be rejected and sent back to the temple was the most humiliating fate an emulator could suffer, and she had no intention of returning in shame. A part of the wall facing Ishtar became translucent and gave her a good view of the battlefield. The participants were already in position, with numerous Zentran battlepods racing about while several officer's mecha hung back to observe the melee.

On the bridge Feff gave the command to begin the staged battle. "Now sing, Ishtar!", he ordered and no sooner had he fallen silent when an eerie, high pitched vocalization filled the airwaves and the little hairs on the back of his neck rose. The Zentran immediately reacted to the siren song. Conditioned to obey, the ferocity of their response amazed and delighted Feff as the melody continued to pour forth. Now this was the right way to go to war, he thought as frenzied activity filled the screens and the bridge attendants shouted out stats. The wordless song reverberated in the command center, and Feff regretted not being out there in the field to experience the action first-hand. Although this was merely a mock battle without casulties, he'd never seen his troops fight with such singleminded purpose and relentless energy. The emulator's skills not only exceeded his expectations, her song motivated the troops in a way he could not, and the results were nothing less of spectacular, he thought as the exercise went on.

Eyes firmly closed, Ishtar concentrated on her singing. Without the aid of instruments the melody was carried only by her powerful voice, yet all the more effective in its sparseness as the young emulator skillfully applied all the techniques she'd been taught. Within seconds she entered a trance where producing the melody became effortless, and thus allowed her to sing for hours. Rapture filled Ishtar's mind as she lost herself to a universe filled with the music of the spheres.

Delighted with the success of the simulation Feff gave the troops orders to cease and return to their stations. "Thank you, Lady Ishtar, you did very well!", he said as the last notes of the song faded away and the exited chatter of his crew replaced the music while the officers on the field called in their reports. Superimposed on the screen before him was the image of the emulator, and he noted that the markings on her serene face glowed. Ishtar opened her eyes and watched the battlefield as the last light from the explosions flickered out and died. "You did very well", the commander's deep voice repeated and Ishtar knew that her assignment was secure. "Please rest now, you must be tired. I expect that we'll soon receive orders", Feff continued. The results of the test had left him nearly trembling with anticipation. Now all he needed was a war, and the Emperor would hopefully soon provide him with an enemy worthy of such talent, he thought while the song of the emulator continued to play in his mind.


	3. Chapter 3

Macross II: Past and Future 

A MII: Lovers again fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the MII characters don't belong to me and I'm not making any money off them. Only the OC's and the story itself belong to me.

A/N: Apparently even fan fics can't escape the MII curse of unpopularity. Although I still like MII, the lack of feedback makes me wonder if the story should be continued. There's no point in writing and posting if no one enjoys this story.

Ch. 3 Winners and Losers

"Now this is a rich prize, and a proper way to finish this campaign!", Feff said and several members of the bridge crew voiced their agreement. The beautiful green planet's image filled the large view screen, but it was the spectacular abundance of valuable raw materials and other resources that distinguished this particular world.

This discovery would focus even more favorable attention towards him, and the Emperor would be pleased, Feff thought while an officer recited the stats of the world his troops were about to attack and plunder. Best of all, the planet was without defenses and ripe for the picking. Although it was inhabited by sentient beings, the scout units encountered no resistance and reported that the aliens were timid and docile. Such traits were highly prized in slaves, and the locals first task would be the transfer of their home's riches to their conquerors.

"This will be easy, Ishtar", Feff said to the emulator who was waiting in the transmission room. Although this type of mission didn't really necessitate her services, he still wanted her to sing. The troops responded so well to her song and he enjoyed any opportunity to work with her, even though their sparse interaction was entirely via screens. "I am ready!", Ishtar replied quickly. "Wait for it, we haven't yet been cleared by central command", he cautioned her.

The delay surprised as well as disappointed him. He'd personally reported the planet's discovery and his fleet's readiness to begin the invasion, only to be told to wait for instructions. What could be the holdup, the young commander wondered, tapping his foot impatiently. With the current shortfall of supplies caused by a severe lack of raw materials he'd expected a quicker, more enthusiastic response. Just then a distorted voice poured out of the communicator. Feff didn't need to check the origin of the signal to know it was headquarters, but obviously this wasn't the Emperor's voice. "There will be no invasion, I repeat, no invasion. Your fleet is to destroy the planet instead. Do you receive?"

Too stunned to reply, Feff wondered if his status report on the planet had somehow been misunderstood. There had to be a mistake, but there were risks to inquire. Still, he decided to give it a try. "Orders are received, but I request clarification. Has the planets unusual wealth of raw materials been considered? Also, the inhabitants don't represent a ..." "Are you questioning your orders, commander?", the indignant reply came. "Of course not! But in order to destroy the planet I need reinforcements!", he snapped back, knowing that nothing good was to follow his request. "Stand by!", the voice from headquarters said and the line went dead.

Destroying the planet made no sense at all, Feff thought and listened to the hushed voices of his unhappy crew. What they said was right, the system was stable and the aliens represented no threat. So why not take this rich world? "Here are your new orders, Lord Feff", the raspy voice spoke up again. "Lord Toht's fleet has been dispatched and will arrive soon at your destination. He will carry out the annihilation." "Am I to remain here in a support role or should I continue on?", Feff asked, careful not to let his anger show. "That decision is up to Lord Toht. If he doesn't require your help, you will return to home base and report to headquarters immediately. Is that clear?"

Well, here was his reward for asking questions, Feff thought as he snarled an affirmative. So Toht commanded a planet killer fleet now? How appropriate for the man. According to rumors he'd actively lobbied for a behind the front lines assignment, and the unusual move was interpreted by many as evidence of Toht's growing risk aversion. This unflattering characterization was most likely the reason for Toht's failure to gain a foothold in the Emperor's inner circle. And rightfully so, for Ingues had no need for the advice of cowards.

Ishtar had listened to the sharp exchange thanks to a comm line which remained open. The orders didn't make sense to her, but it was the mention of Toht that dismayed her most. She vividly recalled the frightening encounter with him, and although there wasn't much chance for them to meet, she still didn't like knowing he'd be in charge of this new mission and in such close proximity. As she shrank back into the comforting embrace of the hoverchair, Lord Feff's voice came on. "Your services aren't needed today, Ishtar. Return to your quarters until further notice!", he said curtly and signed off. The young emulator quickly left the transmission room. The sooner this mission was over, the better, she thought and made certain every entry into her rooms was locked.

Such a nonsensical assignment couldn't come from the Emperor, Feff thought as he watched Toht's fleet arrive. Most likely some numbskull at headquarters was asserting his authority, blindly tossing out orders unaware of the realities of the front lines. Other commanders had confided similar experiences during staff meetings, but there was no help for it. If Ingues saw fit to delegate important decisions, he probably had a valid reason. Further inquiries would only result in even more unpleasant and humiliating assignments.

If Ingues only knew what idiocy sometimes went on in the field, Feff sighed as Toht's pompous voice announced his arrival. "Nice planet you've got here!", the higher ranking officer said and his smirking face filled out the large view screen. "Too bad I've to destroy it. It's just chock full of stuff the guys back home have been clamoring for! Honestly, it doesn't make sense!" Feff ignored Toht's insinuations. He disliked the man immensely and he resented this assignment, but he wasn't about to incriminate himself.

"What are your commands, Lord Toht? I'm to assist you in this mission." "Oh, your help isn't needed here," Toht said dismissively. "My troops can handle this just fine! Continue as you were!", he added and signed off. The relief to be spared the humiliation of serving under Toht's command was palpable in the air, and Feff quickly ordered the return to headquarters. His ships had barely left the system when the planet killers moved into formation, and Feff's small fleet dematerialized only seconds before the first detonations impacted on the doomed planet.

Well, win some and lose some, Feff mused as his flagship settled in the docking station of Ingues's home base some time later. Although he couldn't add the planet's discovery to this mission's achievements, he still had much to be proud of. The troops performance on this campaign had been truly impressive, and much praise rightfully belonged to the newest member of his crew, he thought as Ishtar's slight figure came into view. Even the drab surroundings of the dry dock couldn't dim her radiant beauty, and he eagerly anticipated the rare opportunity to speak privately with her.

While the ship underwent on overhaul, he'd report to headquarters, and Ishtar had been recalled to the temple. This was the first time he'd seen her in person since dropping her off at her quarters in the beginning of the mission, and now that she was standing only a short distance away he felt almost giddy with delight. She not only looked stunning, she even smelled good, and while she politely greeted him the young commander discreetly inhaled her scent.

"Your escort isn't here yet, Lady", he said, grateful for the temple guards tardiness. "If they don't arrive soon I will take you to the temple", he offered and the emulator nodded her appreciation. "Thank you!", she whispered, her words barely audible in the noise of the dock, and Feff marveled how this delicate voice was able to make stalwart soldiers pitch themselves into furious battle.

For a few moments they remained silent, both absorbed in their private thoughts as they watched the activity on the busy dock. Ishtar looked at a long line of glassy sarcophagi filled with Zentran as they were hauled into the big belly of the flagship. "Replacements for the Zentran casualties", Feff said, anticipating her question. The emulator counted as the transparent containers were loaded. "I didn't realize so many were ...lost", she said and turned to Feff. "Casualties are unavoidable in combat, but losses were comparatively light on this campaign. We didn't encounter much organized resistance", he replied. "Your singing truly motivated the troops, Lady Ishtar, they fought magnificently!", he added, expecting her to be pleased by this honest compliment. But Ishtar averted her eyes and sighed. Emulator training revolved around an abstract concept of battle, and death was regarded as necessary, even celebrated as the ultimate proof of devotion to the great cause. And yet, the full realization that her singing directly contributed to the death of soldiers suddenly troubled her.

Feff was puzzled by her less than enthusiastic response. Didn't she understand that the success of the mission was due to her efforts? Just then the temple escort arrived and Ishtar hastily excused herself. Feff watched until she was out of sight. What a strange creature this female was, he thought. He couldn't fathom what went on in her mind, and this uncertainty intrigued him even more. If only they could speak freely, he yearned to know Ishtar's thoughts. But such desires weren't only forbidden, but ultimately futile. The personal opinions of individuals weren't required for the holy mission, and it was probably best that way. He turned on his heels and marched towards the exits. It was high time to get going, after all, he had an appointment at central command.


	4. Chapter 4

Macross II: Past and Future 

A MII fanfic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the characters of MII don't belong to me and I'm not making any money off them. Only this story and the OC's in it belong to me, and I'm still not making any money!

A/N: thanks for the feedback, readers! Keep up the good work!

Ch. 4 Conflicts and confrontations

Staff meetings gave a commander a legitimate opportunity to boast of his accomplishments as well as defend his mistakes. Mingling with peers and superiors also allowed him a glimpse into what others were doing, and how successful they were at it. Competition was always fierce, particularly during the meeting of the Lords, and because of it the occasion was invigorating as well as tension filled. The chance of being singled out for praise by the Master made the long wait worthwhile, Feff thought, eyes firmly fixed on the dark silhouette at the center of the immense hall. Emperor Ingues had not yet spoken, but there was no doubt in his mind that the Master was paying full attention to the seemingly endless parade of boastful Lords.

Because of his junior position it would still be some time before his turn came, but Feff knew precisely what to say. He'd stress the fine results his fleet had achieved during the past campaign, but he'd refrain from praising Ishtar, even though her contribution to this success was considerable. Elaborate compliments might raise suspicions, and even the mere appearance of impropriety could endanger her continued service with him. Feff knew of cases where a close bond between emulator and commander had become an issue of contention, and forced separation, reassignment and shameful disgrace resulted for both parties. Under no circumstance would he allow this to happen, Feff vowed as yet another name was called and a commander purposefully strode to the front of the assembly.

But before the man could open his mouth an angry voice rose from the crowd. "Master Ingues, I beg you to hear me first!", a stout figure moving fast through the lines shouted, brusquely pushing aside the men patiently waiting their turn. Feff recognized the heavyset man as Gilt, the procurer. "Forgive my intrusion, Lord of Lords, but for the sake of the empire I dare not wait any longer", Gilt said, his eyes pleading with the figure in the shadows. Red-faced, the lower ranking officer stepped back and a murmur of discontent rumbled through the crowd, the Lords had waited too long for their chance to speak to bear this rude intrusion in silence.

Suddenly bright lights flooded the hall and revealed the gleaming figure of Ingues, crouching on his throne. "Why do you disturb the proceedings, Gilt? Do you not know the rules?", the Emperor asked, his voice laced with perceptible anger and the assembly breathed uneasily. "With your permission, Master, I must speak because the problem is so dire!", the procurer begged and Ingues waved his metal hand impatiently. "Lord Emperor, you've recently honored me by transferring the duties of quartermaster to my office, but I'm unable to fulfill the assignments. Supplies are critically low", Gilt began. "We don't have enough to supply the fleets, nor have we been given any raw material for some time. At present, we face severe shortages of ..."

"You've told me this before", Ingues interrupted sharply. "Did I not instruct you to be patient because soon you'd get whatever was needed? Haven't I kept my promises in the past?" Gilt the procurer nodded and threw his hands in the air. "But I never received anything, Master! Yet your commanders always clamor for supplies. They complain loudly when their ships are held up in dry dock because there are no spare parts. I cannot supply when my storerooms are empty, and yet your Lords still destroy valuable planets at will instead of reporting their discovery so that the planets may be exploited!"

Feff's ears pricked up at the last statement of the procurer's tirade. Surely Gilt wasn't speaking about him? Just then the agitated man waded back into the crowd and stopped right before him. "You!", Gilt shouted and stabbed a blunt finger accusingly into Feff's face. "I know for a fact that just recently you came across a rich world! But instead of turning it over so that the empire might profit, you recklessly destroyed it"  
The young commander stiffened with suppressed rage. So the procurer meant to blame him for this fiasco? He should not only suffer the loss of the planet, but also serve as whipping boy even though he'd strictly if unwillingly followed orders?, Feff thought and clenched his fists.

"May I respond, Master Ingues?", he asked, always mindful of protocol. The Emperor generously nodded his permission. He was intrigued to see how this junior commander would reply to the accusations of the enraged procurer, it would provide welcome relief from an otherwise boring occasion. "Lord Gilt, with all due respect, in the case you mentioned I acted according to orders. You are mistaken to blame me for the loss of that world", Feff said firmly and Gilt's already flushed face grew even darker. The promotion had not improved the man's choleric temperament and red wasn't a good color for him, Feff noted wryly as he maintained steady eye contact with his adversary. "It's true that my fleet found the planet and reported its discovery, but we didn't destroy it." "Lies! I know you were ordered to annihilate! Lord Ingues, call this man to order!", the procurer demanded angrily.

"Enough!", the Master's voice cut through the tense atmosphere. "Feff is telling the truth. In fact, he wanted to begin the invasion right away, but I deemed the existing culture too dangerous, and so ordered Toht to carry out the annihilation." Gilt remained silent at this revelation, but from the spasmodic grinding of his jaws Feff knew that the man could barely keep his temper in check. "I'm well aware that the empire faces shortages, but such has been the case before and yet we've prevailed. A mere lack of supplies will not divert us from our preordained conquest! But there's no advantage in gaining spoils when doing so would expose us to a dangerous alien culture. Feff and Toht did precisely as they were told. Surely you don't suggest my faithful paladins would act willfully, Gilt?", Ingues asked softly.

"It appears I was misinformed", the procurer mumbled reluctantly and bowed towards the throne. "Forgive my intrusion, Master, I spoke only out of deep concern!" The Emperor accepted this halfhearted apology and watched as Gilt hastened away. The crowd buzzed with animated discussion and he could feel a wave of unease wash over the hall. "Don't let the procurers comments confuse you, Lords! The empire isn't nearly as threatened as Gilt seems to think. We won't be swayed by minor nuisances like temporary shortages", Ingues added, the hint of a smile curling his sculpted lips. "Continue your reports now!", he encouraged the nervous warriors, but some moments passed before the Lord who'd been shouldered aside by the procurer stepped up again.

Pleased with the outcome of the confrontation, Feff mused over what the Emperor had said. It didn't surprise him that Ingues was fully aware of what had gone on in the field, surely there was at least one spy in his fleet. But the cavalier attitude towards the supply shortage amazed as well as worried him. Feff glanced at the immobile figures surrounding him and saw that the faces of his peers mirrored similar thoughts and worries. A poorly supplied army was bound to fail. But was the situation truly as dire as Gilt had made it out to be, he wondered while the presentation of the Lords continued.

"You've acquitted yourself well, young emulator, I can tell from your commander's notes that he's pleased with your performance. Naturally, I expect no less of any acolyte, your accomplishments reflect positively on the temple. But tell me, Ishtar, what are your impressions of your first tour of duty? Was it at all what you expected?", the high priestess Elensh asked the young woman kneeling before her. Ishtar took a deep breath, but suddenly she was at a loss for words and unable to repeat what she'd practiced for this encounter. After a few moments of struggle she glanced upwards, anticipating a reprimand. But Elensh's serene face glowed with compassion, and she reached out to her acolyte. "Yes, I quite understand. I once felt the same, too", she whispered.

Just then angry voices interrupted the calm of the temple grounds. A high-pitched scream followed by the sounds of a violent struggle echoed in the chamber and Elensh rushed towards the exit, with Ishtar in tow. "Stay here!", the priestess hissed, her voice nearly drowned out by blaring alarms. Ishtar stopped in her tracks and strained to see through the rapidly growing crowd, but too many people were rushing about, obstructing her view. Nothing like this had ever happened while she'd lived at the temple, and she could sense the fear in the air. She brought her hands together in a silent prayer, but in her heart Ishtar knew something terrible had occurred in the most sacred place of the empire.


	5. Chapter 5

Macross II: Past and Future 

An MII fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the MII characters don't belong to me and I'm not making any money off their use. Only the OC's and the story itself belong to me, and I'm still not making any money.

Ch. 5 Emulators lament, commanders torment

"Just look at them!", the old man hissed. "Filthy deviants, the lot of them!" "No, they're not deviants. Can't you see the Lords are rushing to defend the temple?", his aged companion replied calmly. "Nonsense! The temple has its own elite guard, what need does it have of these men?", the first elder scoffed. "They're fretting about their women, I can see it in their eyes. It's a disgrace! And they dare call themselves Marduk ..."

Feff cursed the bad luck that had placed the two decrepids in his path. He couldn't bypass them because the crowd ahead had grown to tremendous proportions, filling the plaza with agitated males. "What's going on up there?", he asked the man next to him but received only a shrug in response. Something extraordinary had happened, but hopefully Ishtar was all right, Feff thought nervously. The alarm had caught him off guard, right in the middle of talking a supply officer into diverting goods meant for Lord Toht's fleet to his own. He'd left the officer behind in mid sentence and ran all the way here.

"You just don't care for emulators!", the second oldster accused the other in a reedy voice. "And rightfully so! My victories were won the proper way, without the help of their ridiculous song. I told the Emperor that allowing the females into the fleets was an invitation to disaster, but did he listen when I said they'd only distract the men?", the enraged elder replied and his outburst drew a worried glance from his companion. "There's no need for that kind of talk!", he cautioned and looked around. "So you preferred to fight without the aid of the song, big deal. As for myself ..." Feff groaned and pushed past the two. If he was unlucky enough to get this old and useless, someone would hopefully have the good sense to put him out of his misery, he thought, wondering what the two were doing here in the first place. Shouldn't they be back on the home world, regaling the new class of recruits with their tales?

"Let me through!", someone at the front of the crowd shouted, and the cry was picked up the others until the plaza rang with the voices of impatient men. Feff could see that the cordon the temple guard had thrown up around the massive building was beginning to waver under the steady push, but reenforcements were already on the way. Elite Zentran warriers, decked out in full battle regalia came rushing to fill in the ranks, and their arrival was greeted by howls of derision. "No Marduk will be denied passage by lowly Zentran!", a commander yelled, inciting the others with his fury. Faced with the hostile crowd, several Zentran raised their weapons, which only enraged the Marduk further. The situation was dangerously unstable, and Feff knew that casualties would follow if cooler heads didn't prevail.

By now he'd reached the very front of the crowd and found himself almost face to face with a nervous temple guard, but it wasn't the Zentran's presence that brought him to a sudden stop. Right behind the warrior, directly in the entrance to the temple lay three figures, clearly victims of violence. Someone had partially covered them, but one was still recognizable as a Marduk commander, face down in a pool of thickening blood. Next to him were the crumpled remains of a Zentran guard, and worst of all, the slight figure of a female, clad in the ornate emulator garment.

It was only then that Feff noticed the swath of long blue hair spilling out from under the cloak covering the female victim. "It can't be!", he gasped, trying to tamp down the intense fear which rose like bile from the pit of his stomach. Please, don't let it be Ishtar, he prayed silently, hoping that the shade of blue wasn't quite right. It was a common hair color, after all, so this could be anyone .  
He lunged forward, only to be blocked by the guard. "Please, Lord, stand back! You may not trespass!", the Zentran snapped and Feff's hand strayed to the sword on his hip. He needed to make sure that the dead woman wasn't Ishtar, and if that meant killing the guard, so be it.

But before he could make a move to strike down the Zentran something directly ahead drew his attention. Through the partially open temple gate he caught sight of the high priestess, furiously scolding Lord Wolf, the commander in charge of home base security. The sight of Wolf squirming under the verbal onslaught paled compared to the quick glimpse of a young woman, peeking out from behind Elensh's voluminous robes. Ishtar!!, Feff nearly shouted out loud in relief. He could tell that she'd been crying, but she appeared unhurt.

Satisfied she was safe for the moment, he fell back, letting the anxious men behind him step forward. He'd almost lost his cool earlier, and the realization that he might have ended up dead like the commander on the ground sobered him. Just then the high priestess rushed through the gate, followed by a flustered Lord Wolf. "Silence!", he yelled. "Stand back, Lords, the situation is under control and your presence isn't required!" "You go away!"' someone in the crowd shouted and Wolf's face turned dark with rage. "Who said that? Show yourself!", he roared, but no one moved. He's losing it, Feff thought, disgusted by the older man's display of weak leadership. Wolf was clearly out of his depth here. "Surrender my emulator! I've received orders and must depart!", another commander shouted.

The high priestess raised her arms and gradually the crowd settled down and grew silent. "Calm yourselves, Lords! Despite the tragedy that befell us today, I can assure you that your emulators are safe and will return to their assignments. Please, clear room for the emergency service!", she added and from the corner of his eye Feff saw a unit of specially trained troops slowly make their way towards the casulties. Reluctantly the assembly parted to let the emergency responders pass. "Thank you, Lords!", the priestess said, her clear voice filling the quiet hall. "Be patient, order will soon be restored!" Hopefully she was right, order was sorely needed here, Feff mused while the responders tended to the three bodies.

During the long wait for Ishtar's return Feff listened to the rumors, there was nothing else to do. According to the most popular version of events, the Zentran had forced his way into the temple in an attempt to capture the emulator, only to be stopped by a courageous commander. In the ensuing fight the commander and the Zentran killed each other, but sadly the females life was also claimed. Feff knew that occasionally a Zentran would snap and throw off the invisible shackles of mental conditioning, often with lethal consequences. But even if that had been the case here, it didn't explain why he would enter the temple and try to take an emulator. Only the most deranged would even attempt such a heinous crime, and dying by the hand of the commander had spared the Zentran the public execution.

The corpses had long been removed, but it seemed hours before a somber procession of emulators was lead into the plaza by the high priestess. Feff rushed forward when he saw Ishtar. "Lady, are you well?", he asked eagerly and her quick nod reassured him a little. He motioned her to follow him to a quiet place, and in his anxiety to lead her to safety he impulsively reached out and offered her his hand. Aghast, he quickly pulled back and thrust the offending hand under his mantle. A quick glance around showed that no one had noticed this egregious breach of etiquette, least of all Ishtar, who seemed barely aware of her surroundings.

"What happened?", he asked brusquely, annoyed with himself. Ishtar focused her tear-dimmed eyes on him as she spoke. "Lord Dirn invaded the temple and threatened his former emulator. When she wouldn't accompany him he killed her and the Zentran who tried to protect her", she said in a flat voice. Stunned, Feff took a moment to digest this news. "And how did Dirn die?", he continued and Ishtar gave the tiniest of shrugs. "He had no way out, so he killed himself", she replied. "You witnessed this?", he persisted. "I heard most of the fight, but I didn't see it happen", she said, already tired of talking. From his reaction Ishtar could tell that he didn't believe her, but that didn't matter. The damage was already done. The brutal attack had proven what she already knew: there was no safe place in the Empire. Even within the walls of the temple emulators were subject to the whims of unpredictable, dangerous males. She closed her eyes and patiently waited for the commander to make a decision.

How could one of his own kind commit such a horrendous deed?, Feff wondered. Dirn was known for his deliberate, calm manner, and violent behavior such as had taken place here seemed contrary to everything the man stood for. What could have driven him to do such things, he thought, searching Ishtar's face for answers. But now wasn't the time to muse why one of his peers had gone berserk, the authorities would concern themselves with that. He needed to get Ishtar out of here, and quickly too. "We need to get back to the ship, we've received a new assignment", he finally said and was pleased to see Ishtar brighten up at his announcement. Before soon, she'd forget about this terrible day. He too was glad to leave homebase. A campaign was just what they both needed, and he yearned for the clarity that war had always provided in the past.


	6. Chapter 6

Macross II: Past and Future 

A Macross II fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the MII characters don't belong to me and I'm not making any money off their use. Only the OC's, the story and the hopeless dedication to the most maligned part of the Macross saga belong to me, and none of those make me any money.

Ch. 6 The planet of Alus

"Have they located the signal?", Feff asked once again, knowing full well that the scouts hadn't yet reported in. He suppressed a maddening urge to join the search in his personal mecha. Only the Zentran were able to detect signals from the homing device in Ishtar's bracelet, and his place was on the bridge. Now wasn't the time to waste effort on pointless activity, no matter now he yearned to find the missing emulator. And find her he would, it was just a matter of time. He knew Ishtar was alive. Had she perished, the bracelet would have sent out a specific signal and then shut itself off. No, she was somewhere on the aliens home world, he was almost certain of that.

This new enemy was unlike any he'd ever encountered. Not only did the aliens utilize music as a combat weapon, they also possessed Zentran technology. How'd they'd come by either was anyone's guess, but Feff wasn't in the mood for fruitless speculation. This much was for certain, the aliens were resourceful and determined to protect their world, attributes which made them particularly dangerous and thus even more worthwhile to fight and defeat. According to reports one of them had boldly entered the derelict flagship and taken Ishtar on board - an act of reckless audacity. Why she'd remained behind after Feff had personally ordered her to evacuate was still unclear, but the enemies action probably saved her life. Feff ground his teeth in frustration when he calculated the losses of the campaign, so far it was a less than stellar success. He'd dutifully made a report to headquarters, stressing the unusual nature of the enemy, but he'd deliberately omitted any mention of Ishtar's abduction. Now he had more leeway to search for her. Asking permission to do so would most likely have resulted in a strict denial, something he wasn't ready to accept.

When upon his return from the first battle he found out that the emulator was among the missing and presumed dead, Feff felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach, so brutal was the impact. But before he could fully absorb the bad news a tantalizingly brief signal fragment from Ishtar's homing device was detected. And when a troop reported an earlier sighting of enemy craft entering and exiting the abandoned flag ship, Feff dared to hope again. Yet, the knowledge that Ishtar lived didn't serve to calm him. Having realized the value of their captive, the aliens were probably hard at work trying to extract information from her. Were emulators taught to withstand torture, Feff wondered, his mind racing with images of Ishtar suffering through increasingly painful methods of intelligence gathering. Stay strong, Lady, I will save you, he swore silently, impatient to annihilate the menacing alien hordes bent on hurting her.

"What do you want to do now, Ishtar? I can take you anywhere", the handsome young male asked and gestured towards the colorful vista laid out before her."I'd like to see the ship, Hibiki", she replied with a smile which her companion quickly repaid in kind. "Yes, I haven't forgotten about that, don't worry!", he said and reached for her. After a moment's hesitation she held out her hand and trembled at the electrifying contact of his skin meeting hers. Such behavior would have been completely unacceptable with one of her own kind, but somehow the human's touch didn't count, even if it raised the tiny hairs on the back of her neck.

"But first I want you to meet someone. Actually, you've already met him, although you probably don't remember him", Hibiki said, pulling her along in his mad dash through the crowed streets. He needed to find out more about this strange girl he'd found in the damaged ship, and Mash was the right person to help him with this task. For reasons unknown everyone opened up to the cross dresser. Maybe the chemical laden atmosphere at the salon induced some kind of trance, or maybe Mash really did possess the unique insight he'd always boasted of. Whatever it was, hopefully the Micron wouldn't prove immune to either method. Ishtar was his ticket to the big time, the scoop he'd searched for so long. This one's for you, Dennis. I won't quit until I know everything, Hibiki swore, the image of the dying veteran reporter fresh in his mind.

The exotic sights, sounds and smells of the city filled Ishtar's senses, and she hardly knew where to turn first. Her mind was reeling from the sheer impact, and it felt like a strange dream, she thought while the young man lead her through the place he called home. But her place was back in the commander's ship, motivating the troops with her song, she wasn't supposed to be on the ground of an unconquered world. Unaware that the enemy was already in their midst the city's inhabitants moved around her in blissful ignorance of the Marduk fleet poised to strike again. Just then she felt the pull of the Alus again, and the presence of the vessel cleared the confusion from her mind. She'd known about it the moment Feff's fleet materialized in the planetary system. A vision of a strange ship, poised in flight appeared in her mind's eye. The Alus wasn't just a vessel, it was a prophecy made to the Marduk long ago, and Ishtar was determined to find the ship to decipher it's message. It had led her here for a purpose, and she had to know why she'd been spared certain death.

Earlier today a signal from her bracelet alerted her that a search party was on the way to pick her up, and she'd slipped out of Hibiki's quarters to find the ship. But her lone foray into the city had been a failure. Overwhelmed by the strange surroundings she'd panicked, and once again Hibiki had come to her rescue. Yet in a very short time she'd found herself attracted to this colorful, noisy world where males and females mingled easily to delight in each other's company and smiles and laughter were as common as the sweet music which filled the air. Ishtar looked around, trying to commit the sights and sounds to memory. Once the escort retrieved her, the planet and its amazing culture would be destroyed, and the impending loss threatened to bring tears to her eyes.

"Lord Feff, we've narrowed down the area where the signal originated", a tinny voice reverberated in his helmet, and he breathed a deep sigh of relief. Unable to wait it out on the ship he'd finally joined the search party with the intent to race wherever Ishtar was held. This simple plan of action carried a high degree of risk, a fact which his assistant, now temporarily in charge of the replacement flagship, quickly pointed out. But Feff cared nothing about how difficult it was to control Zentran without an emulator, nor did he care how destructive they tended to be. The planet was doomed anyway, and his sole concern was to get Ishtar back before the aliens could do permanent damage and headquarters learned of her absence. Once she was safely stowed away on his ship he'd personally request assistance from Toht's fleet of planet killers. The sooner this vile world was destroyed, the better, Feff thought as he took forward position and the tiny group of mechs sped towards a destination only Zentran could pinpoint.

This was supposed to be a fun afternoon, Hibiki thought as he desperately tried to reach cover. In the blink of an eye the outing had turned deadly when a number of enemy mechs attacked culture park. Worse yet, the intruders appeared just when Ishtar seemed ready to open up a little. She'd clearly enjoyed herself, even laughed at his corny jokes when the attack began. And now here he was, injured and limping along with the help of Silvie, his least favorite person in the world. "This is all my fault", Ishtar said, "they've come to get me". It took Hibiki a moment to process this information, but regardless he didn't want her to leave, not just yet. There were too many questions still unanswered, and his big scoop was at stake.

In the low light of their hideout in the ruins he could still see Ishtar's somber expression. It was obvious that she wasn't ready to leave, and somehow this touched him. "I'm so sorry!", she whispered in a trembling voice while the ground shook with the continued impacts. Whatever she was, someone really wanted her back, and that was all the more reason to keep her here longer, Hibiki thought. "Wait!", he shouted, but she was already gone. He collapsed against Silvie who tightened her grip on him. "Hang on there, bigshot!", the star pilot snapped. "You'll have to do better than that if you want to make it out of here!" Hibiki groaned, partly from pain, mainly from exasperation. Wasn't it just his luck to be stuck here with Silvie of all people?

Ishtar stepped out into the sunlight, and temporarily blinded, it took her a moment to recognize the massive shape through the swirling dust kicked up by the attack. The clarion call was strong and steady now, and even though the ship looked nothing like her vision, she knew it was the Alus. Ishtar took a deep breath, and suddenly the sky was rent by an earsplitting screech when a Zentran mech bore down on her, ready for the kill. But before the warrior could deliver the fatal blow he was pushed aside by an even more massive, bright red mech, and Ishtar realized that Lord Feff had taken it upon himself to rescue her. Rooted to the spot she watched as the Gilgamesh's breast opened wide to reveal its pilot.

Not even the destruction all around could dim Ishtar's radiant beauty, Feff thought, greatly relieved to find her unharmed. Her captor's futile attempts to break her resistance by chopping off her hair and clothing her in hideous garments angered him. No doubt he'd arrived just in time before they could resort to even more insidious methods. But why was she just standing there? Earlier he'd wondered if she might overreact in her great happiness at being rescued, but now there seemed to be little chance of that, he noted with some disappointment. "Hurry Ishtar!", he urged, beckoning towards her, but received only a started look from her. An injured alien emerged from the ruins, calling her name as he limped towards her. Feff drew his weapon and leveled it at the intruder, when Ishtar came to life and screamed at him to stop. Worse yet, she wrenched off her bracelet and dashed it to pieces on the ground before she ran to the fallen alien to render him aid. Utterly astonished and bewildered, Feff was uncertain how to proceed when a massive impact nearly threw him down. Quick to exploit his distraction, an enemy fighter had taken hold of his Gilgamesh, unaware that every part of his mech was a weapon. Spitting curses, Feff retreated into the belly of the fighter and with the flip of a switch freed himself from the grip of the alien's transformable ship. His fighter badly damaged, the enemy could do nothing but watch while Feff accelerated and rose above the battle scene. The rescue attempt had failed miserably, and now he had no option but to leave before the enemy regrouped to capture him, too.

But why had Ishtar refused to come along? He couldn't fathom any reason for her inexplicable behavior, it simply didn't make any sense. Feff recalled the surviving troops and together they sped back to his flagship, all the while his mind continuously replayed the image of his emulator turning her back on him in order to protect an enemy with her own life.


	7. Chapter 7

Macross II: Past and Future

A Macross II fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the MII characters don't belong to me and I'm not making any money off their use. Only the OC's and the story belong to me, and I'm still not making any money.

Ch. 7 Discoveries and revelations

"Why didn't you save me?", Ishtar asked in a plaintive voice, her face averted. "But I tried!", Feff shouted, unable to move. An unseen force held him back, no matter now he struggled against the invisible shackles. "You left me behind, with them!". She pointed into the gloomy dark where monstrous shapes began to stir and moved towards her. "I wanted to save you, but you refused to come with me!", he groaned while the restraints tightened on his throat, threatening to strangle him. Ishtar finally turned to face him, and Feff saw that her eyes were filled with blood. "I thought you loved me", she whispered and a single bloody tear ran down her cheek as the loathsome creatures hurled themselves at the defenseless girl.

With a stifled yell Feff shook himself fully awake and tumbled out of bed. The nightmare had left him in a cold sweat and shivering as if from a fever, he stumbled into the bathroom. A moment later hot water was streaming down on him, and he leaned his throbbing head against the cool wall. He knew the dream was a result of his constant brooding over yesterdays events. Ishtar's capricious rejection of his valiant rescue attempt, her shocking concern with the enemy's well-being and the humiliation of returning empty-handed all came at the worst possible time. As if he didn't have anything else to worry about, he thought and pounded the wall in frustration. The last question Ishtar'd asked in the dream kept ringing in his ears, and no matter how he tried to banish the memory, the word love refused to be silenced. What was happening to him? Never before had he felt this confused and conflicted before.

If only Ishtar had cooperated. But some of the blame for the debacle rested on his shoulders, too, Feff admitted as a sick feeling settled in his guts. As commander in charge of the mission he was responsible for its failure. And while he knew precisely what others in his situation would have done, namely report the abduction, request a new emulator and then proceed with the mission, he also knew that as long as Ishtar remained on the planet he'd never permit an all-out assault for fear of harming her. His effectiveness as mission commander thus hampered, he didn't know how to solve the problem. Without her bracelet Ishtar couldn't be found, something she'd clearly intended.

The water was now uncomfortably hot, and he quickly shut it off and started to dry himself. The mirror was fogged over, and he wiped across the surface to clear it. The face in the reflection was haggard and worn, and Feff barely knew it as his own. But there was something strange in those bloodshot eyes, and he recoiled upon recognizing it. He'd never thought it would happen to him. Mental pollution was something weak-willed individuals who lacked dedication to the cause suffered from. And yet there was no denying it, he'd fallen prey to the dreaded affliction. The fact that the dream image'd mentioned the most taboo word in the Marduk vocabulary was proof enough, as was his reluctance to follow standard procedure. I've become a deviant, he thought and turned away in disgust.

"What is it, Ishtar? Are you all right?", Hibiki shouted as he held the unconscious girl. The voice pulled Ishtar out of her trance. One chance touch of an instrument panel had sent the ship's hidden power surging through, and she swooned from the impact. Hazy images crowded her mind, and she struggled to find meaning in what she'd seen. The message was harder to decipher than she'd expected. One thing was for certain, though, the quest for the Alus had to continue. While the ship contained a piece of the puzzle, something important was still missing, she thought as Hibiki helped her up. But first she had to let him in on her secret, he'd waited long enough. "I've to tell you something", she whispered. It would come as a shock to him, but there was no way around it. After all he'd been through because of her he deserved to know the truth.

Ishtar's revelation left Hibiki openmouthed with amazement. This is the scoop of the year, maybe even the decade, he thought, almost giddy with excitement. Just then an expression of dismay flickered across the young woman's features, and he quickly turned around to find out what startled her. Standing a few feet below them was Silvie Geena, dressed to kill and very angry. "Giving aid and comfort to the enemy, Kanzaki? That's a new low even for you!", she snarled and shook a fist at him. "Now turn that girl over to me!" Hibiki took a deep breath, stalling for time. Naturally, she'd heard everything: how Ishtar wasn't a micronized Meltran but a member of a previously unknown race called Marduk who used music to motivate their troops. Yeah, he could see why the military would be interested in meeting Ishtar, but he wasn't about to give up his big scoop nor would he turn the sweet, trusting girl over to anyone, least of all Silvie. Better make this convincing, he thought and decided to try the compassionate approach.

"Lord Feff, you should see this!", his assistant greeted him. "The enemy has begun to move", the misshapen figure continued, his voice distorted by his face mask. Feff watched the enemies activities for a while without commenting. These elaborately choreographed maneuvers are probably a show of force put on for our benefit, he thought as several fighters launched and quickly returned without making any attempt to engage in combat. "Send out a recon party, I want to know what's going on out there. This may have something to do with Lady Ishtar", he said, hoping desperately that pronouncement would prove true.

Ishtar sat transfixed while unfamiliar sounds assaulted her ears. She'd begged Hibiki to take her to what he'd called a "perfect example of military propaganda". She wasn't sure what he meant by that, but his dislike of anything connected to the military was obvious. His antipathy towards Silvie Geena showed this as well, although the woman had generously allowed them to leave the previous night. Now the lights grew dim and Ishtar's attention focused on the young woman in the middle of the stage. Wendy Ryder was about to sing the promised love song, and suddenly uneasy, the Marduk emulator regretted her impulsive decision to witness the event. In a last ditch effort to keep the blasphemous sound out she clamped her hands tightly over her ears, but like a toxic liquid the alien melody seeped between her fingers and into her brain. Pollution!, Ishtar's mind screamed, and a light touch nearly made her jump before she realized it was only Hibiki at her side. His gentle smile calmed her fears, and heartened by his presence, she relaxed and let the music wash over her. It didn't take Ishtar long to recognize how beautiful Wendy's song was, and overcome by the message carried by the wonderful tune the emulator found herself yearning to sing her very own love song to an appreciative audience of Marduk.

It was all too much - the vulgar display of the garishly clad singer, the cacophony of strange instruments and worst of all, the sacrilegious words the female alien hurled at the audience. What a degenerate culture, Feff thought, disgusted to the core. "So this is the enemy's emulator?", he asked ."Yes, but she seems to have no effect on their fighting spirit", the second in command said, and the image on the view screen proved him right. The large crowd appeared anything but ready for battle, Feff mused, noting with interest that males and females sat side by side instead of being segregated by gender. In the meantime the enemy emulator boarded a transformable fighter which swiftly lifted off. "Have the recon party close in and take her captive! We'll find out what her purpose is, and if necessary use her against them!", he commanded, calculating that the female might also serve as a hostage in exchange for his own emulator, if all other options failed.

"You stay with Mash for a while, it's too dangerous out there!", Hibiki said, still shaken by the Marduk's bold abduction of Wendy and Silvie. "No, I'm coming with you! I want to talk to Feff about what I've learned, and maybe I can persuade him to call off the attack", Ishtar insisted. "Is that the man who wanted to take you back?", he asked, remembering the tall alien who'd tried to shoot him during the assault on Culture Park. That guy didn't look like the listening type, but Ishtar probably knew how to get through to him. But what exactly was her relationship with this Feff, Hibiki wondered briefly while he revved the engine of the borrowed Valkyrie. Regardless, it was probably worth a shot. It was high time to stop this war before things got completely out of control and even more people suffered and died.

The recon party had done an admirable job of capturing the enemy fighter with the alien emulator on board, and Feff was pleased he'd soon have a chance to extract some worthwhile information from the singer. There was a certain symmetry to it, he mused. While they had Ishtar, he'd soon have their prized singer. Let's see how they like that, he thought, imagining the enemy's rage and confusion. Just then Ishtar's face appeared on the view screen. She was ensconced in a transformable fighter, piloted by the alien she'd protected from him. "Please release the humans you've captured and allow us to board!", she asked confidently, as if she knew he wouldn't refuse her request. The unusual development inspired the second in command to offer unsolicited advice how best to deal with the emulator. But Feff was far too happy to pay him any mind, nor had he any intention of decommissioning Ishtar, regardless of her exposure to the alien culture.

"Silence!", he thundered. "Release the enemy fighter at once! Now that we have Ishtar back there's no need to bother with the alien emulator. We're free to destroy the planet at any time", he said, delighted that the potentially disastrous situation had come to this unexpectedly quick and elegant solution. The crisis is finally over, and she's even bringing her alien friend along, he thought, utterly delighted with this turn of events and unable to tear his eyes away from the view screen where Ishtar's somber face seemed to look directly back at him. 


	8. Chapter 8

Macross II: Past and Future 

A MII fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the MII characters don't belong to me and no money is being made from their use. Only the OC's and the story itself belong to me, and while I'm rich in imagination I'm making no money from this endeavor whatsoever.

Ch. 8 Questions and answers

"Ishtar, what were you thinking? I don't understand your actions at all!", Feff confronted the young woman standing before him. As soon as the enemy fighter docked, his men had arrested the alien male and taken him away, much to Ishtar's dismay. And now she was evading his questions, preferring to worry about the Earthling's well being. "Where is Hibiki?", she asked again, and the anxious look in her eyes made Feff want to grind his teeth to dust in frustration. "You mustn't harm him, he only meant to help!", she pleaded. "Do not issue orders to me, Lady! I make the decisions on this ship! Now explain why you refused to come with me earlier!", he snapped.

Faced with her commanders anger, Ishtar recoiled slightly. She'd never seen him like this before, and the steely glint in his eyes promised little understanding for what she was about to say. "Forgive me, Lord Feff, I didn't mean to trouble you, but I couldn't leave the planet until now. That world is the resting place of the Alus and I've communicated with the ship of prophecy", she explained. Astonished by this unexpected revelation, Feff stared at her for a moment, uncertain if he'd heard her correctly. "Did the aliens tell you that their world held the Alus?", he finally asked. "No, Hibiki said the ship appeared on their planet a long time ago. I felt the presence of the holy vessel as soon as we entered the system!", Ishtar said and her face lit up with excitement. Damn it, they got to her. She's contaminated, Feff thought, angry and saddened at the same time.

"Lady Ishtar, you've been deceived by a cunning lie", he replied in a gentler tone. "First of all, the Alus is a myth. Secondly, even if it were real, why would it be on this world of all places? The enemy has encouraged this belief in order to use you for their base purposes!" "No, I'm certain it's the Alus", Ishtar countered, shaking her head so vigorously her short hair flew about her face. "I stood in the ship and felt its power. Didn't you see it? It was some distance from the park", she asked. Looking deeply in her eyes, Feff spoke slowly. "The ship I saw was a derelict Zentran vessel. Listen to me, Ishtar. Free your mind from the Earthling's influence. I won't hold what happened against you, but I need you to give up these strange ideas!", he urged.

"But we must not disregard the message of the Alus! It means to tell us something!", she insisted and Feff sighed. Whatever method the enemy used on her had completely scrambled her mind, he thought while Ishtar went into detail about what the ship of prophecy had imparted to her. Not surprisingly, the message was one of heresy. "Most of all, this war is wrong! We must not destroy this culture, this world!" "I'm sorry to do this, but you leave me no choice! You will have to undergo purification to cleanse your mind." "But why?", Ishtar began, but Feff sharply cut her off. "Lady, do you realize what your situation is? In your current state you won't be able to fulfill your duties. How can you motivate my troops when you suffer from such mental pollution?" For a moment, Ishtar was silent, and Feff wondered if he'd gotten through to her. But her next words proved that her case needed professional care. "I understand that you're skeptical. At first I too worried that the Earth culture was influencing me, after all, it's very appealing. But then I realized that I'd been spared from death in order to spread the good news!"

"Enough!", Feff shouted, his patience exhausted. He yearned to shake some sense into the stubborn female, but a verbal berating would have to suffice. "Ishtar, are you aware that you've placed not only yourself but also me and my entire fleet in mortal danger? You do know which type of punishment Master Inguess reserves for the polluted?" From her teary expression it was obvious that the consequences of her actions had never occurred to her - yet another sign of the extensive brainwashing she'd received. "I never meant to bring harm to anyone", she whispered, and Feff turned away. "Retire to your quarters. As soon as the Saaride arrives you will report to the temple for purification. Go now!", he said coldly and stifling her sobs, the distraught girl bolted from the room.

Feff took a deep breath to collect himself. Never before had he spoken so harshly to her, but the dire situation justified such measures. Purification would hopefully not only cleanse her mind, but also take care of this new rebelliousness, a most exasperating trait. He wasn't used to arguing with subordinates, and in her current state Ishtar was useless to him in a tactical sense. But he was far from giving up on her, after all, she was an innocent victim and not to blame for the aliens devious methods. Still, he was determined to keep what had happened quiet. Chances were headquarters would consider the contaminated emulator expendable. It was a minor miracle that he'd not yet been called upon to account for the delay in the mission. For once the Master's voice remained surprisingly quiet, a welcome change from the usual. With just a little luck the treatment at the temple would erase any remainders of the Earthling's unclean influence and Ishtar would emerge reborn again, and good as new.

Hibiki moaned as the painful tremors subsided. Sweat dripped into his eyes and clouded his vision, but he had no doubt that the Marduk bastard was still there and ready to give him another shock. He gritted his teeth to prepare himself for the pain, knowing it would be worse than the previous. "This is your last chance to tell the truth. What does SNN mean?", the heavily accented voice insisted to Hibiki's despair. No matter how he tried to put it, the interrogator didn't seem to understand his explanations. "SNN is just the name of my employer. It's a civilian news agency and I'm their reporter", he said, trying to sound convincing. The painful shocks arced through his body until he writhed screaming in the restraints. Blood filled his mouth, and the vile taste made him retch. I'm going to die here, the sudden realization froze Hibiki's heart.

The torturer turned his attention away from his victim to the tall man who'd just entered the room. The two talked quietly for a moment, but it was only when the newcomer stepped into the reddish light that Hibiki recognized him as the man who'd tried to take Ishtar away. What was his name again, he wondered, grateful for the brief respite. Oh yes, this had to be Feff, the commander. The alien's strange war paint made his scowl even fiercer, and Hibiki wondered how Ishtar had fared at this man's mercies. He prayed she wouldn't have to undergo what he was suffering, hopefully this kind of treatment was reserved only for enemies like him.

So this is the alien Ishtar is obsessed with. I wonder what she sees in him, Feff eyed the creature hanging limply in the restraints. Hardly impressive to begin with, the young Earthling looked much worse for wear due to the efforts of the science officer. "What have you found out?", Feff asked the interrogator. "The subject stubbornly maintains that he's a civilian", came the quick reply. "Ask what kind of mind control method he used on the emulator", Feff ordered and waited while the question was put to the captive.

To his surprise the alien still had some spunk left in his battered body. "How dare you ask me something like that? I'd never hurt Ishtar!", the Earthling raised his head to growl like a cornered animal. Infuriated, Feff hurled himself at the degenerate who'd done such damage to his emulator. He pulled the alien close until he was just inches from his face, pleased to see fear in his captives eyes. "Even if Ishtar is contaminated, she will be cleansed of your insidious mental pollution!", he spat in the Earthling's language, shaking the loathsome creature until the interrogator became nervous lest his subject be killed. Finally Feff relented and let go. "Continue with the questions and inform me of what you find out, but don't use lethal force. I still have a use for him!", he ordered and strode out of the room. If the science officer noticed anything unusual about his commander's behavior, he was smart enough not to say anything. But he didn't really care as long as he had a subject to play with, a rare opportunity indeed. The fine art of interrogation is so underappreciated, he thought and increased the volume of the shocks.

"The Saaride is ready to receive you", Feff announced as Ishtar caught up to him in the flight corridor leading to the shuttle. She held her head low so he couldn't see her expression. "What happened to Hibiki?", she whispered. "I sent him away, he's back on his planet", Feff said and noted that the lie improved her mood immediately. A tiny smile on her lips, she walked past him and entered the shuttle. "Protect her with your lives!", Feff snapped at the guards sent from the Saaride to escort her. Soon Ishtar would forget all about the Earthling and remember where her rightful place was, Feff thought, eager to see the emulator's mental balance restored.

Inguess stared at the image of the small blue planet and a wave of fear and anger rose within him. "What a repulsive world this culture inhabits", he mumbled. "Has the Saaride arrived at her destination?" "Yes, Master. The flagship of Alus Nova has entered the system", the distorted voice of his attendant replied. "Keep me informed of all developments", the Emperor said, but his thoughts revolved around something he'd heard a long time ago, back when the Marduk still had prophets. Could it be that Dinus foretold the return of the Alus by a blue planet correctly?, Inguess wondered, tapping his metal fingers nervously. But Dinus wasn't even a good enough prophet to foresee his own death at the hands of a young acolyte eager to rise in the ranks of seers, so why should any of the silly old man's proclamations hold truth, the ruler of all Marduk mused. He'd sent Elensh to investigate the progress of the campaign, and should the Alus indeed rest on that planet, the high priestess would be sure to know. And then, once again I shall see the Alus destroyed, along with its host world, but this time for good, Inguess swore and blessed calm replaced the apprehension he'd just experienced.


	9. Chapter 9

Macross II: Past and Future

A MII fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the MII characters don't belong to me and I'm not making any money from their use. Only the OC's and the story itself belong to me, but I still don't make any money from that!

Ch. 9 Harsh discipline

"I understand perfectly: You require the baptism of Alus Nova", Elensh said kindly and motioned her acolyte to rise. Ishtar's story was utterly fantastic, but over the years the high priestess had heard worse. Sadly, it was often gifted emulators like the young woman now reluctantly stepping into the hoverchair, who fell prey to the demands of their service. Occasionally acolytes would seek refuge in the temple, partly from a desire to escape their duties as well as their tainted thoughts. Baptism was a reliable cure for all ills of the mind and spirit, and with faculties restored, the once debilitated returned to service. Yet no matter how diligently Elensh worked to make baptism an accepted and regular occurrence in the emulators life, there was still a certain stigma attached to those who underwent purification. And while she wanted to spare the girl the unavoidable embarrassment, Ishtar desperately needed the procedure. She truly believed the ship of prophecy was located on the planet her master was ordered to subdue, and she'd even immersed herself in the alien culture. The potentially devastating effects of this exposure could not be permitted to spread.

Elensh frowned when the readouts of Ishtar's brain activity scrolled across the screen of the instrument panel before her. "Calm yourself, there's nothing to worry about", the priestess admonished her acolyte. "This is a place of meditation and peace, do not infect with your confusion!" "I cannot help it, Lady Elensh. I'm consumed by the songs of that world, they will not be silenced! Forgive me!", the contaminated emulator wailed, but it was her blatant disregard of a direct order which angered Elensh the most. Had Ishtar forgotten everything she'd taught her? Even the deluded had to obey the rules of the temple, and regardless of her fondness for this acolyte, Ishtar needed to be disciplined. "Stop it now before you defile the sacred domain of Alus Nova!", the priestess shouted, determined to put an end to the emulator's rampant emotionality.

Would the baptism destroy her precious memories of the wonderful songs of Earth? Would she forget Hibiki and the Alus?, Ishtar worried as the full force of the temple's brainwashing devices bore down on her. May the power of the real Alus protect me, she prayed, unaware that flesh and blood rescuers were already on the way. At this very moment, Lord Feff's Gilgamesh entered through a gaping hole the aliens had blasted into the Saaride's hull, only to encounter a phalanx of wary Zentran guards. "Lord Wolf, allow me to pass! The Earthlings are after Ishtar, and they're certain to head for the temple!", Feff explained, but the ship's commander wasn't inclined to grant permission and the Zentran mechs remained watchful at their posts, ready to defend the vessel against this new intrusion. "You have no right to enter my ship! Don't you remember the rules? What occurs here is my business, and I will handle this situation without your assistance, so begone!", Wolf thundered, but his curt refusal only added fuel to Feff's fire. "I'm coming through no matter what, even over your dead body if I have to!", he snarled and directed a rain of missiles towards the Zentran guarding the breached hangar.

Guiding his Gilgamesh through the devastation left by the attack, Feff knew he'd just issued his own death warrant, but the thought was more exhilarating than frightening. If he was to die for this, he'd make the Earthlings suffer the same fate. And what possessed Wolf to have such paltry defenses for the flagship anyway? Obviously the man had learned nothing from the debacle at the homebase temple. Then Feff's thoughts returned to the aliens who were the cause of all his troubles. Their latest actions had not only forced his hand, but also brought his predicament to the authorities attention. He should have finished off the alien male right away instead of saving him for brainwashing. Now the female Earthling had joined forces with his former prisoner in yet another attempt to take Ishtar away for good. Why couldn't they just keep out of his business, Feff fumed as he sped down long service shafts toward the temple at the heart of the ship. Now there was no option left but kill whoever stood in his way and return Ishtar to his ship. And then he'd await his richly deserved punishment, Feff thought when a strange sound filtered in from the outside. Although the melody was unlike anything he'd every heard, there was no doubt as to the owner of the silvery voice. "Ishtar!", he gasped and accelerated, leaving all pursuers far behind.

Was the girl trying to get them all killed? "Please stop!", he yelled, willing her to shut up, but the song continued to pour forth, sweetly insistent in its deadly pollution. Others also noticed the melody. "The ship's being contaminated!", a member of the bridge crew sounded the alarm, but Wolf maintained a stony silence as he watched the invasion of his ship unfold. All efforts to contain the intruders had failed, and just like that foolish junior commander predicted, the Earthlings were headed for Alus Nova. Wolf knew what was about to happen, but he couldn't bring himself to do anything. This is it, he thought, mortified to end his career in such a humiliating manner.

Elensh calmly looked the intruders over. At first glance they resembled her own kind, but their mindset proved them completely unfit for the Marduk religion. No wonder Ishtar became contaminated from contact with these sentimental fools, Elensh thought as she listened to the strangers impassioned pleas for peace and equality. But the priestess had to admit a grudging admiration for the aliens willingness to risk their lives just to save one of their foes. Why did they even care? And when was the last time a Marduk had shown similar courage in the face of certain death? "Don't talk to me of peace, my people know precisely how to achieve harmony", she said, interrupting the Earthlings in mid sentence. "Emperor Ingues has charged us to cleanse this chaotic universe of all impure cultures, and we faithfully carry out his sacred commands. Who are you to criticize our Master's will?"

Slowly Ishtar's consciousness returned as familiar voices filtered through the fog the baptism had induced. She knew Hibiki and Silvie were here to rescue her, but a steadily growing rumble beyond the confines of the temple diverted her attention. Most likely a security detail was on the way to capture her friends, she thought when a fireball burst through the wall to reveal a massive shape tearing at the jagged edges the explosion left behind. Still too weak to move, Ishtar watched in horror as the Gilgamesh pushed into the temple and fired its extendable claws at her. "Stop it, Feff!", she screamed as the metal talons destroyed the hoverchair and she was flung out to her death. "Why is he doing this?", the terrified girl thought when the Gilgamesh's gigantic hand scooped her out of thin air and lifted her to the open hatch of the red mecha. I have to stop him before he kills us all, but how?", she wondered, desperate to catch her breath.

"Did you really think you could escape from me?", Feff snarled and Ishtar's heart froze. Barely recovered from the wild ride, she threw herself into his lap, determined to keep him from doing more damage. "Please stop it!", she begged, blocking his access to the controls. "Why do you care what happens to this alien trash? Don't you understand they're the enemy?!", he snapped, enraged by her callous disregard for his efforts. "Get off!", he brutally shoved her aside, but the powerful sensations awakened by their brief physical contact had inflamed his passions, and he needed an outlet for his pent-up energy. Ignoring Ishtar's whimpers of pain, Feff turned his attention back to the Earthlings only to find they'd wasted no time in fleeing.

Untouched by the frenzied activity around her, Elensh stood serene. She didn't need to look at the screen image of the dreadnought sent by Ingues's orders to know the Saaride was doomed. So this is how it ends, she thought, strangely unmoved by the fact that her life was over. She felt no fear, only relief. I die as I've lived, the priestess thought, loyal to my people, firm in my faith. But will the destruction of this ship achieve the desired result, Elensh wondered, suspecting that the poison of contamination had already spread too far.

"Meet your death!", Feff spat and sent another volley of missiles towards the Earthlings transformable fighter, but the wildly maneuvering target sustained only minor damage. The enemy quickly responded with a counter attack, and Feff was relieved to note that his Gilgamesh also registered little damage. "You're good, but not good enough!", he hissed, frustrated to see the enemy ship speed off in an attempt to escape his onslaught. He was quick to follow when Ishtar's gasp of fear reminded him of her presence, he'd all but forgotten her. Then he saw what had startled the emulator. Massive energy beams were slicing through the Saaride, impacting far too close for comfort. With no time to waste he pushed the Gilgamesh to it's limits, managing more shots at the Earthlings ship ahead. Pleased to see the ordnance hit the Valkyrie, Feff now concentrated on finding an exit. More death beams ripped into the hull of the doomed ship as the dreadnought kept pouring on Ingues's punishment.

"We gotta get out of here!", Hibiki yelled, but Silvie didn't reply. She had her hands full guiding the damaged Valkyrie through the Marduk ship, a difficult task made harder by the crazed alien chasing after her, shooting all the while. And now the ship was under attack from an outside source, too! "So this is the kind of discipline the Master likes to hand out?", Hibiki continued, wondering why the Marduk tolerated this treatment. But he couldn't feel too sorry for the people who'd brainwashed their Zentran slaves, turning them into living robots. Right now he worried mostly about himself and Silvie. She'd put incredible effort into saving him, risking her own life over and over again. "How much longer can we hold on? The ship's coming apart!", he shouted just as a dark chasm yawned before them. "This is it! I've found an exit!", Silvie shouted back, relief thick in her voice as the mech flew out of the Saaride into open space.

Feff stopped his mecha at a safe distance to observe the death of the flagship, they'd barely made it out in time. The dreadnought was already gone, its grim work finished. Red and white fire swelled from within the Saaride, pulling the vessel apart, and moments later a massive blast scattered the remains of the ship. "Take a good look, Ishtar!", Feff said coldly, unmoved by Ishtar's sobs. "This is the price Master Ingues exacts from those he deems contaminated. Remember the result of disobedience, Lady, for all this happened because of you!" 


	10. Chapter 10

Macross II: Past and Future

A Macross II fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the characters of MII don't belong to me and I'm not making any money from their use. Only the OC's and the story itself belong to me, and I'm still not making any money.

A/N: thanks go to out to SithKnight-Galen and his little girl! Look for your suggestions in upcoming chapters!

Ch. 10 Escalations

Ingues frowned when the flagships demise was confirmed. Although the purge was necessitated by the rapidly spreading contamination, purification always came at a high cost. The loss of old stalwarts like Elensh and Wolf was regrettable but their sacrifice would not be in vain, the Emperor vowed. Now was the time to rally the troops and inspire them for the hard fight still ahead. The world of Alus would fall, he couldn't tolerate its existence any longer. Alerted by a slight gesture one of the attendants opened a communications channel to the ships on the front line. "Brave soldiers! You who have sworn allegiance to the Marduk discipline must now confront this vile enemy! Your fighting spirit is without equal, and our culture is destined to rule the universe! Go forth and kill the aliens so our people may live unchallenged!"

Unmoved by the Emperors speech, Feff mulled over recent events. He'd expected to be called on to justify his actions on the Saaride, but so far headquarters remained mysteriously silent. Was it possible they were unaware of what had happened on the flagship? He could hardly believe it, but it seemed as if his invasion of Wolf's ship, the killing of the Zentran guards and his unauthorized entry into Alus Nova to abduct his polluted emulator remained a secret known only to him and to a lesser degree Ishtar and his crew. Although he'd gotten away with it, his situation was dangerously insecure, Feff realized as the Masters voice faded into silence. Isthar was impure and thus unreliable, and there was also the possibility word of his adventures might get out. Surely there was an informant in his crew, he thought and cast suspicious glances around.

Ishtar shuddered with disgust and huddled deeper into the hoverchair as Ingues' poisonous words rang in her ears. Because of him Lady Elensh and all the others on the Saaride were dead, their only crime hearing a forbidden song. And what of Hibiki and Silvie, had they survived the explosion?, she wondered and wiped tears from her burning eyes. No, Feff was wrong, the purge wasn't her fault, the blame lay with Ingues and his mad obsessions. Ishtar reached for the small amulet Hibiki had given her back on Earth and squeezed it until the metal corners cut into her skin. Up until now she'd trusted the sacred power of the Alus to set things right, but there was no denying that her presence on the ship was the catalyst for a chain of deadly events. The distraught emulator buried her face in her hands and sobbed quietly. If not for her, Lady Elensh and Lord Wolf would still be alive, Ishtar thought and the comforting embrace of the hoverchair seemed to tighten until her breathing became ragged. Her beautiful dream of bringing songs of hope and love to her people had so far resulted in death and misery, the emulator wept, reminded of the high priestess' kindness towards her, and how poorly she'd repaid her.

Meanwhile on Earth, Hibiki's effort to present the truth earned him the attention of military authorities who wasted no time in pulling the plug on his clandestine broadcasts. And while human interrogators weren't quite as merciless as the Marduk had been, he resented being treated like a spy and accused of faking the footage he'd shot on board of the Marduk vessels. Worse yet, people suffered and died, locked in battle with a brainwashed enemy while UN Spacy flunkies were questioning his motives. Idiots, Hibiki fumed, he should have seen this coming. Under no circumstance would the brass believe anything coming from him, his reputation was too tainted from the well publicized stunts he'd pulled. Nor was he the only one in trouble. Silvie's attempt to come clean to her superior officer misfired and landed her in prison. If the star of Faerie squadron couldn't find a sympathetic ear, what chances did a lowly civilian hack like himself have?

His thoughts turned to Ishtar. The last time he'd seen her was on the flagship, when he and Silvie were being hunted by that crazy Feff. Were they still alive? And if so, where was she now? She'd been genuinely sweet and likable, maybe a bit naive. Still, he admired her determination to stop the war. The rest of her people didn't share the girl's interest in peaceful relations, the priestess on the flagship had said as much, and much the same held true for the people of Earth. 

Earlier today he'd overheard the guards talking about the upcoming Macross cannons launch, and the news made him heartsick. The immense ships were the pride of UN Spacy and Earth's last line of defense, and their deployment proved how desperate the military was. They were throwing everything at the enemy, but he feared that this great effort was doomed to fail. UN Spacy simply didn't understand what kind of foe they were dealing with. And there's nothing I can do, absolutely nothing, Hibiki groaned and smashed his fists into the walls of the tiny cell until his knuckles bled.

"Master Ingues, the reinforcements have arrived at the front line and they are reporting feverish activity. The enemy has mobilized its forces, including several large ships resembling Zentran transporters", an attendant said. The Emperor listened to the report intently, but he wasn't surprised by this development. After all, this planet was Alus, and he expected its inhabitants to defend it vigorously. Again he requested a direct link to the fleets. "Sing, my emulators and strike fear in the hearts of the aliens!", he urged. "This world must fall, so let the enemy hear our great battle hymn!"

The sounds of the song of battle filtered into Ishtar's transmission room, but the emulator remained silent. She closed her eyes and curled up in the chair, aware that her actions were being monitored on the bridge. Regardless of the consequences, she couldn't sing that song any more. Lord Feff would be displeased, Ishtar thought and felt a tiny pang of conscience because she was failing once again in her sacred duty. But the message of the Alus was strong in her heart, and Ishtar knew she had to obey the higher calling.

"Why won't the emulator sing? We can't control the Zentran without the song, they'll be confused!", the second in command complained angrily, but Feff ignored him. He was studying the girl's image on the large view screen. She appeared asleep, but this was just another trick of hers. He smiled grimly. If she intended to cripple his warriors with this passive resistance, she was in for a surprise. "Never mind what she does! Send out the Zentran and link them to the song of the other ships!", he commanded and the crew breathed a sigh of relief. They wouldn't be denied participation in this war just because of Ishtar's infatuation with the Earth culture, Feff vowed, switching the image of the silent emulator to the frenzied battle raging outside.

Observing the carnage, Ingues delighted as his warriors vanquished the enemy forces. True, the people of Alus were exacting a high toll on his fleets, but the tide of war was turning against the aliens. Eager to see this war concluded, Ingues ordered units from other campaigns to join in the fight. "It is time, emulators! Let the enemy hear the song of death!", he ordered and one of the attendants turned to him in surprise. "Forgive me, Master, but our forces are making good progress. Why not let the Zentran finish without the aid of the song?" "That world is Alus, and I don't care how many Zentran will go insane because of the song! We cannot allow the aliens the slightest advantage!", Ingues snapped, annoyed to be questioned for such an inconsequential reason. "As you command, Lord of Lords!", came the quick reply and soon the sound of the most powerful weapon in the Marduk arsenal filled the Emperor's hall. "Sensors indicate some emulators of the Groog unit are refusing your directives, Master!", the attendant reported nervously. "How dare they? Punish them!", Ingues demanded and a massive energy blast was dispatched to the fleet harboring the recalcitrant singers.

Feff watched calmly as the fighting intensity rose in response to the song of death. Maddened by the eerie melody, the Zentran hurled themselves into battle, determined to destroy everything in their path. Although the enemy was skilled and desperate to save the planet, nothing could match the berserk fury of the brainwashed warriors. Just then the Groog unit was enveloped by a tremendous aura of pure energy and instantly annihilated. The bridge techs called out casualty numbers as the song continued to pour forth ever more powerfully.

That strike didn't come from the Earthlings, Feff realized, it originated from headquarters. But why destroy the fleet? The Groog unit was highly decorated and known for its prowess in battle, and its participation would be missed, he wondered when Ishtar entered the bridge. "You've left your post? What have you come here for?", Feff asked, surprised by her sudden appearance. "Ingues ordered that strike. He'll stop at nothing to destroy that planet, even if he has to kill all of us!", she said, ignoring his questions. "Ingues knows it's Alus and that's why he's so afraid!".

"Nonsense! The Master doesn't fear this pathetic little world. What are you talking about?", Feff shot back, angered by her disrespectful attitude. Ishtar stared at him defiantly. "The planet Alus is trying to teach us about peace and love, and that there are more important things than war and battle!", she said and the crew hissed their disapproval. "Contaminated traitor! You'll doom us all!", the second in command screeched and pulled a weapon out of his robes and leveled it at the emulator. "Lord Feff, she must be eliminated! You cannot protect her any longer!".

Ishtar closed her eyes, expecting the blast, but she felt nothing. When she opened them again she saw only Feff's broad back and realized he'd stepped up to shield her, and the discharged weapon was the one in his hand. The second in command whimpered as smoke from the large hole in his chest filled the bridge with the stench of burnt flesh. A moment later he crumpled to the ground and moved no more.

Feff looked around and saw that some of the men had left their posts, whether to flee or attack, he didn't know or care. "Return to your stations! Deploy all remaining Zentran and link them to the song, I will confine Ishtar", he snapped, but no one moved. "Those are my commands!", he added sharply, relieved to see the men obey. He turned to Ishtar and motioned her to follow, and the deathly pale girl fell into step next to him as they left the bridge. "You realize what this means?", he asked and she nodded. They proceeded in silence until they'd reached a small hangar.

She's willing to die for this alien world and its strange culture, Feff thought, and there was nothing he could say or do to change her mind. He wanted to protect her and keep her close to him, but all his efforts on her behalf had failed. Now that he'd killed a member of his crew they were all marked for death, and she couldn't stay on this ship any longer. He accepted the possibility of death for himself, indeed, he almost welcomed it, but the thought of her dying was more than he could bear, no matter how she deserved the punishment for her many transgressions. Setting Ishtar free to join the Earthlings was the last favor he could grant her and the only gift she'd accept from him, Feff realized with bitterness, for her rejection of Marduk culture was also a rejection of him. 


	11. Chapter 11

Macross II: Past and Future 

A MII fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the MII characters don't belong to me, only to their respective copyright holders and I'm making no profit from the use of the characters. Only the story itself and the OC's in it belong to me, and I'm still not making any money!

A/N: back from a lengthy hiatus! Welcome new reader Knightewolfe, hope you stick with me for the duration!

Ch. 11 Desperate efforts

Ishtar took a deep breath to steady herself for what was about to happen. Only minutes earlier Lord Feff had killed his second in command and then brought her to this small hangar for her own execution. She sighed and hung her head, not entirely surprised by this turn of events, just saddened that her mission for the Alus was coming to a premature end. But why was he hesitating? Get it over with, she thought, tired of waiting.

Foolish girl, she truly believes I'm going to kill her, Feff scoffed, disappointed that she had so little faith in him. Too preoccupied with mythical ships and degenerate aliens she knew nothing of his forbidden feeling towards her, and maybe it was better that way. But her offenses merited the most severe punishment, and no matter what precautions he'd take word of her actions would get out. He looked at the young woman standing before him, and a powerful rush of affection threatened to undo his resolve. I can't save you anymore, but I need to make you understand why I'm doing this, he thought and cleared his throat, which had become uncomfortably dry. This was the last time he'd get to talk to her, and he wanted every word to count.

"I'm a proud soldier of Master Ingues, and I've pledged my life to his cause. My service is my reward, I ask for nothing more than to die on the battlefield, loyal to my lord to the last breath", he said and the words echoed in the still air of the hangar. It wasn't until I met you that I began to desire more, and thus began my downfall, he added in his thoughts. Ishtar looked up, uncertain why the commander bothered to explain himself. Feff's stern expression softened and the emulator was startled to see how young he looked. No, he is young, not much older than myself, she realized. Why'd she never noticed before?

"You must leave this ship quickly, Ishtar! Don't make me rethink this decision, I already have too much to regret. Go back to the planet and join your friends. I will say that I executed you for treason. No one will know my failure to uphold every vow I've ever sworn, he said. The tears forming in her bright eyes indicated understanding, and he was glad for that and smiled at her for the first time. Ishtar began to speak, but he sharply interrupted her after the first word. "There's no time, you have to go now!"

When she hesitated for a moment he pointed in the direction of the small shuttle and waited until he'd boarded the ship. Without looking back he left the hangar and manually opened the hatch to let the emulator leave. The muffled roar of the shuttle engine quickly faded away only to be replaced by the normal background sounds of the ship. He waited for a few minutes to calm his nerves, but the ache in his heart remained strong. Her leaving only proved how far she'd deviated from the proper way, when even the risk of death couldn't hold her back. He knew she probably wouldn't survive very long, the war was about to shift into the final phase, but at least she'd be happy for a short time.

Feff sighed as he walked back to the command center. This entirely one-sided, ill-fated love affair had come to an end, just as he feared it would, and yet part of him wondered if he'd done the right thing after all. The uncertainty was another sign of how much he'd fallen under the spell of whatever polluted Ishtar. Now he was free to dedicate himself to the destruction of the vile culture that had seduced his emulator. But despite his noble words about duty and loyalty he didn't care anymore about this war, and even the chance of revenging himself held little appeal. Lord Feff shook his head, deeply troubled by what he'd become. Although the source of his affliction was gone the pollution remained. Would he ever be free of these feelings?

Holding on to the shuttle controls for dear life, Ishtar didn't spare a moment to wipe her tears away. Not used to piloting a vessel she concentrated on guiding the small craft through an active battlefield. What Feff had said in the hangar kept running through her mind. Just when she'd expected him to kill her he'd set her free. There was no other explanation, the miracle was brought about by the ship of prophecy, Ishtar thought. Yes, the Alus had touched the steely heart of her stern commander, and provided they'd both live through the war she'd thank him. But now wasn't the time to think of that, the most important thing was to prevent the destruction of the planet and the Alus, she reminded herself, momentarily uncertain where to land the craft. She had no idea where Hibiki was, and she knew very little about Earth, only the few places he'd shown her. Her confusion didn't last long. The Alus will guide me, I can already sense its call!, the emulator thought, steering the shuttle towards a place that seemed to beckon her closer.

"So Commander Exxegran gave you permission to use the Macross? I didn't expect he'd spare enough people to run that huge ship", Hibiki gasped and Silvie gave him a quick grin. "There's no crew, it's just the two of us!", she said cheerfully, pulling him along. Moments earlier she'd freed him from his cell and now they were heading towards the old ship. "Now hurry up before the guards catch up! Yeah, I know what you're thinking, and maybe you're right. It is a crazy plan, but I believe in the Macross. In fact I believe that old ship is our last chance!", she added. "But how can we possibly ...", Hibiki began and then fell silent. Details didn't really matter, he'd have to trust her. After all, she'd proven her abilities in many tight situations, saving him more times than he cared to count. And if Silvie Gena thought the old Macross could defeat the Marduk, who was he to argue? "All right, lets do this!", he shouted and grabbed Silvie's hand tightly. "There's hope for you yet, Kanzaki!", she replied, encouraged by his resolve.

"The Alus still exists and the planet hasn't fallen? Why haven't my warriors eliminated this threat? Transfer my fortress to the frontlines, I shall lead my forces to victory against the enemy!", Emperor Ingues demanded impatiently. "By your command", an attendant said and passed on the orders. A short time later the immense fortress materialized in the system where the ship of prophecy had reappeared. A quick report informed Ingues of the status of the war, but the news only served to anger him further.  
"Destroy everything! Our culture will prevail only if we annihilate this chaotic influence!", he shouted, his words transmitted to every ship in the Marduk fleet. "Fight brave warriors, fight and kill!"

The sudden arrival of the Master's base surprised and dismayed Feff greatly. Never before had Ingues taken such interest in a specific campaign, his preference being to monitor the progress from far away. Did this mean there was something to this Alus legend after all? The Emperor wouldn't have come for a myth, and his presence guaranteed the utter destruction of the planet and with it Ishtar's death. Feff knew he couldn't indulge his predilection for bucking unpopular orders any longer, now that the eyes of the Master were trained upon him. I've killed Ishtar after all, he thought while snapping out commands to his crew in response to Ingues' demands. Ingues will finish what I couldn't.

Ishtar slipped into the gigantic battleship shortly before the Macross engines turned on. She stumbled as the vessel pulled free from its moorings and began its ascent. An uneasy feeling settled in her stomach, and even without seeing the fortress she knew the Emperor was here, Ingues had joined the fleets for the critical battle. He's desperate to keep the prophecy from occurring, she thought as she rushed through empty corridors towards the command center. But he will not defeat the Alus - I won't let him!

Ingues watched nervously as the battleship rose above the planet. Not nearly as menacing as he'd expected, the ship resembled an outdated transporter. The Master of all Marduk felt his spirits rise and his lips curled in disdain. "This is the vessel of Alus?", he asked mockingly just as the ships cannons powered up and fired. The impact shook his fortress but the damage from the direct hit was was surprisingly slight and confirmed his suspicions. Attendants shouted stats but Ingues already knew that this pathetic opponent didn't represent a danger to him. "I shouldn't have worried, this can't be the Alus!", he said with some relief. "Now have the fleets to begin the final assault! It's time to rid the universe of this vessel and the planet where it came from!"

"We failed!", Silvie sobbed as the enemy closed in on the Macross. Hibiki rushed over and took her hand. "You gave it your best, it's not your fault it didn't work", he said, but she wouldn't hear it and turned away. Suddenly the war didn't matter anymore, nothing but comforting Silvie mattered. He pulled her close and kissed her gently. After a brief moment of hesitation Silvie responded to his caress and tightly clung to him. At the entrance of the cabin Ishtar stopped in her tracks and stared at the two Earthlings embracing. She'd seen such behavior only once before when Hibiki had shown her around his city. "Oh, those two are in love. Kissing is a way to show affection", he'd replied lightly, when she'd asked him about the repellent yet utterly fascinating sight, unaware of the turmoil within her. Noting the emulator's presence, Hibiki and Silvie relaxed their embrace and stared at her in embarrassment.

"Love! The power of the Alus is love!", Ishtar rejoiced. "Yes, finally everything makes perfect sense. The ship led me to it so I could learn about love", she continued, trembling with excitement. "That's what will set us free - love, not war! I finally understand what the Alus was trying to tell me all along". "How did you get here? I thought you were - never mind! I'm glad to see you, but you shouldn't have come", Silvie interrupted. "Our attack had no effect on the fortress and your people are cutting our defenses apart." "Don't be afraid! I'm convinced the war will stop as soon as everyone understands the message of love. I will talk to my people and tell them about the Alus. Will you help me?", Ishtar asked and Hibiki nodded enthusiastically. "Sure, give it your best shot!", he said and opened the communication channels as the young woman rushed out of the command cabin and took up position on the observation deck.

"This is utterly crazy. More ships are arriving by the minute, there's just no end to these damn Marduk. And she's going to talk them into quitting the war?", Silvie muttered and Hibiki slipped his arm around her slumping shoulders. "Ishtar believes this old ship has the power to end the war, just like you believed earlier. Maybe this really is the ship of prophecy. So what do you say, should we give it one more try? For the Alus?", he grinned when he saw Silvie brighten up. "Yeah, let's give the Macross one more chance to work it's magic", she agreed, "but this one's for the Earth!"

"It can't be!", Feff gasped, reluctant to believe his eyes as a very familiar figure came into view. Somehow Ishtar had managed to enter the Earth ship which had attacked the Emperor's homebase, and now his emulator began to speak. Please don't do this, be quiet and go away, he pleaded silently, knowing full well the wayward girl wasn't about to do any of that. "I am Ishtar, emulator of the Marduk people and I've come to stop this war!", she introduced herself to the assembled armies engaged in vigorous combat. Feff's crew greeted the announcement with angry comments, and he could only image what Ingues was thinking now. "Silence!", he snapped, eager to hear the last words of his doomed emulator.


	12. Chapter 12

Macross II: Past and Future 

A Macross II fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the MII characters don't belong to me, only their respective copyright holders and I'm making no profit whatsoever from the use of said characters. Only the story itself and the OC's in it belong to me and I'm still not making any money whatsoever.

Ch. 12 Cataclysm

A cold shiver went down Feff's spine as he watched Ishtar's desperate attempt of convincing the opposing armies that the war was wrong and should be stopped immediately. And what sacrilegious ideas she presented, universal love and the importance of preserving alien cultures, Earths in particular. There wasn't much chance Ingues would take her suggestions kindly, by now the Emperor had to be furious and ready to retaliate. And yet, no matter what crazy nonsense Ishtar was spouting Feff couldn't help but admire her courage as she stood on the windswept deck of the ship she believed to be the Alus. "So brave!", he whispered, hoping against hope that she would survive somehow.

"The teachings are wrong, we've been mislead by our most sacred beliefs!", Ishtar continued as the wind tore at her. What were they thinking now, she wondered, looking out at her vast, silent audience. Could any of them feel the power of the Alus yet? A gigantic fireball rose in the distance and Ishtar ducked instinctively. So this was the Masters answer to her challenge? Flecks of ash whirled in the air, the sole remains of the incinerated ships. Protect me, Alus, protect us all from the wrath of Ingues!, she prayed silently, but the Emperor's fortress kept pouring on the punishment.

"How dare she? Who is this insolent female? Find out which fleet she's assigned to and annihilate it!", Ingues raged and shook his metal fist at the image of the defiant emulator who was using the false ship of prophecy as her pulpit. Such blasphemy couldn't be permitted to spread further, and he snapped out orders to discipline the ships which refused to fight. "Beware of false prophets, my subjects! Do not listen to their lies, do not be confused by their trickery! The Marduk are the chosen people and our teachings are the sacred truth, handed down over the eons. Doubter are traitors and will be dealt with! So sing the song of death, emulators, sing and speed our warriors along to victory!", Ingues addressed the fleets.

"No, not that song!", Ishtar shouted, willing her fellow singers to ignore the Emperor's commands, but already the first notes of the eerie melody were audible and some Marduk ships advanced against the Earthlings vessels. Heartened by this response Ingues knew now was the time to deal with the traitorous female. "Die! Die for your lies!", he shouted as his fortress took the false Alus under fire. Within moments the ship was engulfed by a massive discharge of energy and Ingues cheered when the hated vessel broke into pieces. "Note the fate of dissenters, my subjects! Infected by an alien culture the emulator turned against her own people, spreading vile lies and confusion. Forget her words, think only of defeating this enemy! Now sing the song of death!"

"Forgive us, Master! Don't punish us for the sins of one deluded individual, we remain loyal to you. The planet is already devastated, our forces are certain to triumph. What more do you desire of us?", a high ranking priestess answered over the open lines. "Obey my orders and motivate the troops! The war isn't finished until I say it is!", Ingues replied angrily, but the singers remained silent. They were proud, the women whose songs made warriors race toward death, and he knew the emulators resented the public execution of one of their own. But they'd chosen a poor time to assert themselves and today he wouldn't suffer their insolent attitude. "I shall not allow the poison of dissent to spread any further amongst the people. If you refuse to sing you will be harshly punished!", he warned sternly.

Feff trembled with rage. How much more was he to suffer today? First he'd to helplessly witness Ishtar's death and now Ingues threatened to turn against his subjects. The emulator's death and even the priestess' assurance of loyalty seemed to incite the Emperor to greater wrath. Did the Master truly place no trust in his people? Once again the fortress opened fire on Marduk ships. "What is he doing? How are we supposed to win this war if he destroys our forces?", Feff shouted at the screen depicting the decimation of the fleet. The crew mumbled in agreement, and some voices were heard suggesting evasive maneuver. But that was impossible, leaving now would brand them as traitors, Feff thought. His pride wouldn't allow that, and so their only option was to stay put and hope Ingues would soon come to his senses again.

This is the end, Ishtar thought as she was crouching on the trembling surface of the deck. Only the observation tower and the deck remained of the once proud Alus, the blast of the fortress had obliterated everything else. She quickly looked behind her, catching a glimpse of Silvie and Hibiki inside the cabin. They looked pale and badly rattled, but for the moment they were safe. By a miracle they'd all survived, and the fact that she'd not even sustained a scratch confirmed her belief that the spirit of the Alus was still strong and intent on protecting them. If only that were true for the Marduk out there, she thought as she helplessly watched the barrage Ingues was unleashing against the fleets. Is Feff still alive?, she wondered and pulled her cloak tightly against her. Suddenly she felt very cold and tired, tired of resisting, tired of living. So many had died already, and maybe these deaths were her responsibility as well. As Ishtar looked at the chaotic battlefield a new melody began to form in her mind, a song borne of the Alus and of Earth. Her lips moved, words poured forth and following a sudden impulse she stumbled to her feet and sang with all her might. Bright and clear, her voice rose above the din of battle as the spirit of the Alus took hold of her and made Ishtar the willing instrument of the prophecy.

"Please cease this punishment, Master! If you continue thus you will destroy us all!", Feff begged but Ingues ignored his pleas. A strange song was working its way into the ships of the two armies, and its effect on the Marduk and their slaves was stunning. The warriors stopped fighting to listen to this new melody, and their inactivity enraged the Emperor more. "Ishtar's alive? It can't be, but this is her song, I just know it!", Feff rejoiced, and suddenly he understood everything. The chatter on the communication line went from fear and anger to confusion and uncertainty. Yet Ingues was still punishing the fleets and Feff couldn't bear it any longer. "Enough! We have a right to live! I will not stand by any longer and watch this madman destroy my people!", he shouted and gave the command the crew had waited for. "Attack the fortress, give it everything we got!", he snapped and the crew rushed to the task. Other Marduk ships and even some of the Earth vessels joined in the effort and Feff delighted in the sight of their combined fire hitting the homebase. "We belong to ourselves! Fight for your lives, Marduk, fight the tyrant!", he urged on his allies.

"They dare defy me, their living god? Destroy them all, they have no right to live!", Ingues roared as his fortress shook under the barrage of his enemies. Flames ran across the floor to lick at the base of his throne, and his panicked crew fled the hall, but he was beyond fear. Fused since eons into the structure of the fortress he knew there was no escape for him. Consumed with rage he couldn't feel the blistering heat, nor did he notice the death screams of his terrified attendants. At long last his foolish subjects had given in to their weakness and turned against him. "I wanted to make the universe yours, but you let yourselves be seduced by a mere woman! Curse you forever, traitors!", he rasped with his last breath as the fortress came apart. The massive explosion rolled across thousands of ships, and against their will some of them followed Ingues into death.

"It's over, it's finally over!", Silvie whispered. "I can't believe we made it. For a while I thought we were all goners", Hibiki said in the same low tone, holding on while the cabin did a wild dance in the agitated air. "I don't think the tower will hold together much longer, let's land this thing!", Silvie said, her eyes fixed on the small figure kneeling on the observation deck. "Better get her inside, it's going to be a rough ride!"

Ignoring the flood of questions coming in over the communication lines, Feff raced towards Earth in his mecha. The messages reflected his emotions perfectly, the confusion, anger and relief. Ingues was gone, they'd done the unimaginable. And while he could hardly believe it yet his thoughts revolved around Ishtar. She was out there somewhere and he was determined to find her. But how? She wasn't wearing the identification bracelet, and the aftermath of war could be even more chaotic and dangerous than an active battle. It wouldn't be easy, but find her he would. Dodging occasional fire from other mechas he carefully scanned the ruined landscape. Not much remained, the once lush planet had been devastated. The ground was littered with the remains of battle, scraps of ships and mechas, but one heap of junk drew his attention and he headed straight for it. Hovering over the wreck he positively identified it as part of the ship Ishtar had stood upon, but the attached cabin was empty, the passengers were gone. Had the Earthlings once again taken Ishtar away? Frustrated and anxious, he searched the area when a small figure came into sight. Instinctively he knew this was Ishtar, and he raced the Gilgamesh towards her.

The emulator seemed to be in a state of shock, walking aimlessly across the battlefield, stopping only to gaze upon something broken on the ground. "Wait, Ishtar!", Feff shouted and landed the mecha a short distance away. A few moments later he stood before her and it was only then that she noticed him. She stared at him with a vacant expression in her eyes, but she bore no obvious injuries. "Are you well, Lady?", he asked nervously and Ishtar finally broke her silence. "I'm so glad to see you! I wasn't certain if you'd survived the battle!", she said and wiped tears from her dust streaked cheeks. "Come, let's go back to the ship", he said gently and reached out to her, and without hesitation she placed her hand in his but made no move to leave. "The prophecy came true, the Alus was triumphant. Ingues is gone and we are free", she said dreamily. Then her knees buckled and Feff caught her before she hit the ground. He carried her to the mecha and held her while he started the engine. Ishtar remained in his lap as they flew back to the ship. "I saw you lead the attack", she whispered and rested her head against his chest, and even through his pilot suit he could feel the heat from her body. "No, you led the attack, I only followed!", he said and after a moment joined in Ishtar's silverbright laughter.


	13. Chapter 13

Macross II: Past and Future

A Macross II fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the MII characters don't belong to, only to their respective copyright holders, and I'm making no profit from their use. Only the story itself and the OC's belong to me, and I'm still not making any profit!

Ch. 13 Allies and enemies

"Has there been news from the homeworld?", Lord Zott asked and glanced around nervously. "Nothing since the order to return without delay", Feff replied quietly. I can't believe Lord Ahlt ignores our messages! What does this silence mean? Perhaps they're laying a trap for us, it may not be safe to go home!", Zott frowned and Feff shrugged. "Where else should we go? We can't just roam the universe forever. Besides, for all we know Ahlt is dead, he was old when he trained my class of recruits. We'll find out soon enough what's going on when we get there, until then there's no point in worrying needlessly. We'll deal with whatever comes", Feff said in an effort to stop the other man from fretting. "Of course we will do that, as always!", Zott agreed and abruptly changed the subject. "Some of my Zentran are becoming hard to handle. The presence of free Zentran on this planet is giving them the wrong idea. Worse yet, my emulator, Lady Erinnah refuses to fulfill her duties. She won't leave her quarters, nor will she talk to me. I believe she's afraid - not of me, you understand, I've always been perfectly correct in my relations to her. She's picked the wrong time to ignore my orders - how am I to control the Zentran without her singing?", Zott snapped. "Do everything you can to manage the Zentran, we don't need an incident. In the meantime I'll have Ishtar talk to your Lady. Most likely she simply needs to be reassured. Ishtar has successfully counseled other emulators", Feff offered and Zott breathed a sigh of relief. The older commander wasn't the first to encounter such problems in the days since Ingues' death, nobles as well as slaves experienced uncertainty and fear of the future. "I hope your Lady can work her magic on my emulator. I have a feeling soon we'll need all the help we can get!", Zott said ruefully.

What strange creatures we Humans are, how quickly we adapt to extraordinary circumstances, Commander Exxegran thought. Joining him in the lavishly decorated hall were members of the military, politicians, scientists and even a few artists and celebrities, all carefully chosen to socialize with the Marduk who only days ago had tried to destroy the planet. Once again music determined the outcome of the war, but what were the odds of that happening twice, he wondered. Spurred on by the song of one emulator the Marduk turned against their ruler and killed the raving lunatic, albeit with the help of their former enemies. After Ingues' defeat the remaining Marduk forces ceased the assault on Earth, to the great relief of the beleaguered UN Spacy forces. And not a moment too soon, Exxegran mused and raised his glass in salute to a group of scowling Marduk males, and the youngest one swiftly returned the gesture.

Why did Earth attract marauding aliens? Once again the planet had suffered greatly, and only 80 years since the last great war. UN Spacy losses were high, the civilian population suffered many casualties, too, and Macross City was in shambles. Exxegran looked with sadness out on what had been a thriving metropolis. It would take years to fix the damage. The Marduk were unapologetic about the devastation they'd caused and rejected demands for reparations. Such arrogance generated much anger, particularily amongst the Earth's Zendradi and Meltradi populations who advocated freeing the Marduks slaves. It was up to leaders like Exxegran to calm hot tempers, and eventually harsh reality trumped hotheaded idealism. There would be no sanctions against the Marduk, no trials, no forceful liberation of the Zentran and Meltran. After all, the Marduk were still strong and had additional fleets on standby. As revolting as the aliens behavior and lifestyle was, the Earth's people had better things to worry about, such as survival for instance.

Exxegran closed his eyes, utterly exhausted from the compromises he'd made over the last few days. High level talks were rarely pleasant, even less so with participants who had no use or talent for diplomacy. The Marduk were infuriatingly convinced of their superiority and balked at making concessions. The hastily arranged summit yielded a peace contract, eagerly sought by one side, somewhat grudgingly agreed to by the other. It was a small triumph, although the Earth's people had nothing more substantive to go by than the aliens word of honor. Throughout the conference the Marduk seemed distracted, as if they had weightier matters on their minds. After all, they'd killed their living god and chances were good internal squabbles, maybe even civil war would result. While Earth needed to rebuild its infrastructure the aliens faced an even greater task, namely the reorganisation of their entire society. Today they'd leave, and most of the warriors seemed eager to get back to wherever their home was, another bit of information they'd kept to themselves. Godspeed to them, hopefully they'd never return. But just in case they did it would be useful to have friends and allies among them, Exxegran thought and decided to give the old diplomacy game one more try.

The Marduks lack of interest in anything originating from Earth came as a surprise, and this mindset was obvious in their avoidance of the buffet the UN Spacy hosts had laid out. The aliens hardly touched the food, viewing the offerings with thinly veiled disgust. Only coffee appealed to the dour guests, and Exxegran marveled at the speed with which the Marduk drained the large dispensers. Too bad this didn't loosen them up enough to consider a free exchange of information, there were so many questions the experts wanted answers to. There was the tantalizing theory that the Marduk had visited the planet before. How else could their use of ancient Babylonian terms and names be explained? But the aliens remained stubbornly silent on this and other inquiries, frustrating scientists and historians alike.

A bright flash of color caught Exxegran's attention, and his mood lifted when a soft voice reached his ears. This was Ishtar, the singer who'd brought an end to the war, precisely the person he wanted to talk to. Openly fascinated by Human culture, the young woman had spoken out for greater understanding and cooperation between the races, although in the end her pleas were largely ignored. Still, the girl had potential as a valuable ally for Humanity, he thought as she approached, clad in her skintight emulator's uniform, a surprisingly revealing and highly erotic garment. Compared with the relatively drab warriors the female Marduk resembled tropical butterflies, replete with color and adornments. No wonder attention focused on the extremely feminine emulator and her equally attractive colleagues generated much displeasure amongst the Marduk males. Even now the young Lord called Feff was jealously watching Ishtar's every move out of the corner of his eyes, Exxegran noted with some amusement as he greeted the emulator.

"And you still insist on leaving us today?", he asked and Ishtar nodded. "Yes, I want to bring the teachings of the Alus to the homeworld. All our people need to hear the wonderful music of this planet and learn about love, peace and happiness", she said and her bright blue eyes fixed briefly on Silvie Gena and that annoying SNN reporter she'd taken to hanging around with. "But I'll be sorry to leave your beautiful world behind", Ishtar added wistfully. "I understand. No doubt you'll succeed at the great task ahead, I can tell!", Exxegran said sweetly and his flattery was received with a charming blush. "But let me to urge you to be careful! Your people face a great challenge and from own experience I know that times of change can be dangerous ..." "Please don't concern yourself! I will personally make certain that Lady Ishtar is safe", Feff said curtly as he stepped close to the older man. "Whatever may come, we shall prevail and with her help we will build a wonderful new society!", he said to the emulator who smiled warmly in response.

Exxegran nodded, pleased that the Marduk commander had picked up his warning. He'd kept on eye on this Lord for some time and noted the keen personal interest the young man displayed in the emulator. They were determined to improve their people's future, and he wished them good luck, they'd need it. "Remember, we are not only your allies, we are your friends as well. Don't hesitate to call upon us when the need arises!", he said said and saluting smartly, strolled away. "What a kind man! Isn't it wonderful to finally have true friends?", Ishtar said to Feff. Friendship and kindness had little to do with the Human's offer in his opinion. He'd recognized the battle hardened old soldier's effort to protect his world and his people by making connections between former enemies. It was typical of Ishtar to focus on the sentiment of the message and ignore the stark warning. At least the Human's shameless flattery stopped short of calling her a prophet, a term often heard lately and which never failed to make Ishtar uncomfortable. Modest by nature her plans for the future revolved around teaching others about the songs and feelings she'd encountered on this world. Already many Emulators had asked about the song of love, as she called it, as well for advice on the new situation the females found themselves in, and by default she'd taken on the duties of a high priestess. Yet she seemed blissfully unaware of the danger this placed her in and that worried Feff. Now was the time to be doubly watchful, because just as the Human had pointed out, great upheaval was ahead and they'd have to be careful not to lose their footing, Feff thought as he glanced around the room, trying to sort enemies from allies.

"Did you notice them, Lord Toht? There go the false prophet and Feff the traitor", the young commander hissed, his voice quivering with hatred. "Did you see how shamelessly they interacted? Not only did they lead the attack on the Master, they openly continue to defy every sacred law and rule laid down since ancient time!" "Yes, I saw. Mind your words though, we're surrounded by the enemy!", Toht said cooly. "But never fear, the rebels and traitors will pay for their crimes, this I promise you! Make certain you and the others are ready, soon I'll need your help!", he added and drank deeply from the beverage a pretty Human female had offered him earlier. "Just say the word, and we shall fight as never before! Remember the Master's true followers thirst for revenge!", the young Lord said and bowed respectfully. Yes, there would be a reckoning, Toht thought, and he looked forward to seeing the guilty receive appropriate punishment. Master Ingues was lost, a victim of his own recklessness, setting the stage for a new leader to emerge who'd guide the Marduk to even greater triumphs. And once the wicked were purged from the ranks the newly purified would return to this planet to finish what the Emperor had started but was unable to finish. Such grand opportunities lay ahead for an ambitious man, Toht grinned in his cup, planning out the pivotal role he intended to play in the epic battles to come. 


	14. Chapter 14

Macross II: Past and Future 

A Macross II fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the MII characters don't belong to me, only to their respective copyright holders and I'm not making any money from their use. Only the story and the OC's in it belong to me and I'm still not making any money.

A/N: My computer suffered catastrophic soft- and hardware problems some weeks ago and I had to buy a brand new system and transfer my old info, what was little was left of it. In other words, it was a big pain, very expensive and completely aggravating, and I hated every moment. Sorry for the delay, I appreciate every reader sticking with this story!

Ch. 14 Coffee for two

"Would you like some more?", Ishtar offered and Feff waited as she refilled his cup before moving on to hers. The dark liquid poured into the container and the delicious aroma filled the area of her quarters they were sitting in. He carefully took a sip of the warm beverage and smiled appreciatively. Despite her best efforts the coffee wasn't very good, not at all like the powerful stuff he'd been served on Earth. But Ishtar had gone to the trouble to make it for him, and he was determined to consume every last drop, no matter how unpalatable it was. He maintained a firm grip on the cup, glad to have something to do with his hands. Being in the holiest place of the ship made him uneasy, although no authority existed anymore to discipline him for entering the emulator's private realm. This was yet another reminder of the monumental changes his people had gone through in the last few days, and he liked this new freedom. He also liked this lovely room, even if it was new territory and completely unlike his own rather spartan quarters. The soft light, the fountain bubbling gently in the tiny pool in the sunken floor and the flowering plants combined to make the meditation area a seductively feminine place, Feff thought and shifted from his cramped position at the pools edge.

Ishtar noticed this slight movement and smiled. "I'm afraid it's not very comfortable", she said and blushed as if the lack of legroom were her personal fault. "It's fine, really, I don't mind at all!", Feff replied quickly, not wanting her to think he disliked being here when in fact he'd been thrilled to receive her invitation. Yet the old rules were still fresh in his mind and he wondered if Ishtar felt any apprehension. He glanced at her, but she showed no signs of nervousness and appeared to enjoy his company. Before the death of Ingues they'd rarely talked one on one, only the war with Earth and the conflicts resulting from it had broken this routine. Now they were interacting as individuals, freed from the restrictions of caste and profession, and this too was a new and novel experience. It was with some annoyance he saw her reach for the object the little Human male had given her as a farewell gift. Ishtar had kept the gift to herself, but a sharpeyed crew member noticed and reported the emulator's transgression. Feff sighed. For a moment he'd allowed the exotic atmosphere to overwhelm his better judgement, and the thrill of having Ishtar completely to himself almost made him forget that he was the master of the ship and its crew. It took only a moment, and his sense of authority reasserted itself. "What is this and where did you get it?", he asked and put his cup down, careful not to spill the coffee on the polished ledge he was sitting on.

"Oh, Hibiki gave me this, it's a portable computer he used for his work! He's stored my images and music on this, and also other information", Ishtar said and her obvious delight in the object and the memory of the giver stung Feff to the heart. "Look, this is how it works, it's easy!", she said and moved a little closer to give him a better view of the screen while she worked the controls. Thus occupied she didn't notice that he paid more attention to her than the tinny music issuing from the little machine. "Do you remember this song? And here's a picture of you", she pointed at the screen and Feff inspected the image of himself standing in a group of Lords, shaking hands with the Human delegates. He nodded, amused how the scowls of his peers contrasted with the smiles of the Humans. He remembered the momentous occasion, the first peace contract the Marduk had ever made with a former enemy. "And there's even more, detailed information on Human culture and history, but I haven't seen everything yet", Ishtar continued and rested her fingers on the primitive key board. "What would you like me to show you next?", she offered, eager to show off the computer's contents.

"Actually, I'd like you to turn it over to the scientists, they may find something useful", he replied, watching Ishtar's reaction. As expected, the happy smile was replaced by a frown, but just when he thought she might protest she assumed a calm expression. "Yes, of course, I should have done so earlier", Ishtar said, shut the case and handed him the small item. An uncomfortable silence settled over the room and for a moment Feff regretted his actions. "Can it be studied without damage?", she asked nervously. "I'm sure it'll be returned in perfect condition", Feff said curtly, angered by her obsession with the thing. In fact he had no idea what the scientist might do to it, but it would probably be best if she didn't get it back at all, even if this were to upset her. Right now was she staring anxiously at him, and Feff decided to soften the blow. "If this really contains what you told me, it could greatly improve our knowledge. We didn't really have a chance to study the Earth culture in depth", he said and tapped a gloved finger on the closed case.

That was quite true and sounded reasonable as well, but he knew it was just an excuse. Maybe the thing contained something useful, but he doubted it. Even the foolish Human male would know better than to give anything containing sensitive information to a former enemy. No, he'd confiscated the thing because it reminded Ishtar of the Human, and that had aroused his jealousy. It was an emotion he disliked in himself, and yet in the recent past he'd often acted on impulse because of jealousy. He also needed Ishtar to understand that regardless of his feelings for her he was still in command while she was a subordinate. Killing the tyrant had not freed them from their duty, this was a military vessel and his orders would be obeyed, Feff vowed.

Ishtar's stubborn affection for the alien perplexed him. He'd expected her to be jealous and disappointed when the Human paired up with the female pilot, but the relationship only confirmed her belief in the Alus' incredible powers. Feff had assumed that Ishtar loved the Human male, and yet her reaction to what could be interpreted as a betrayal of her affection was inexplicable. Could it be the emulator was immune to the pain of jealousy? What exactly did she feel for the Human, and what - if anything - did she feel for him, Feff wondered, remembering the brief interaction they'd had before he'd sent her away. Back then he'd thought she understood his motivation, but now he wasn't so certain. Maybe she needed more time, maybe she needed to forget the Human entirely, if that was possible.

"It won't be long now", Ishtar said and the statement startled Feff out of his musings. "Soon we'll be home. I'm looking forward to it, but there's something I'd like to ask you, but I'm afraid you'll find it silly", she continued with a nervous smile hovering on her lips. "I spent very little time on the home world, and don't remember much about it, only where I came to be", she said, referring to the place where the female clones entered into life. "Soon after I was assigned to a class of acolytes and we were transferred to the fortress temple. Ishtar paused for a moment, lost in memories. "What does the home world look like? Is it as beautiful as Earth? Are there great cities and shining oceans and green forests?" Feff sat up and stretched out his cramped legs, trying to gain time. "Unfortunately I can't give you an answer, because I don't know. My experience was similar to yours, I recall only the place where I came to be and the port where my class boarded a shuttle headed to the fortress", he replied, feeling foolish. "Oh, I see", Ishtar said. She remembered the words of Lady Elensh, addressing the class of brand new acolytes, explaining that although the home world was the spiritual center of Marduk culture, the planet lacked the resources to provide for the vast number of citizens serving in the military. As long as the universe remained uncleansed, great armies were needed to bring order to the chaos, so why waste effort to house and feed those who were assigned to the many fleets and thus on long term missions? New recruits stayed on the planet only briefly until they received orders, the luxury of permanent housing was reserved for the retired and injured, as a token of appreciation for their sacrifices. Ishtar remembered how reasonable this sounded at the time, but was there any truth to to it? They'd been lied to before, and a growing sense of unease gripped her heart.

"Who is Lord Ahlt? I've heard his name mentioned often", she asked and Feff smiled, pleased to have the answer to this question. "He's the highest ranking of the retired Lords, he's a veteran of many legendary battles. When we hailed the home world he ordered us to return and report to him at once", he said. "No one in the Corps of Nobles has more experience and we commanders agreed to have him decide who will become leader - if there is to be a leader from our ranks. Negotiations were tense at times, but this was the one thing we could agree on", Feff said, skipping over the part where the negotiations had deteriorated into physical altercations between quarreling Lords. "Ahlt was also my teacher. After he left the active service he trained many classes of recruits. Despite his great age he could outfight and outmaneuver any of us!", he grinned, remembering the many bruises he'd received at the hands of the tough old man. Ishtar furrowed her brows, unsure what to make of this information. She'd hoped and expected that Feff would be chosen for the role of leader - had he not bravely lead the attack against Ingues? And he'd be a good leader, too, better than many of the other Lords who were known for their brutality against subordinates. "I wonder how Lord Ahlt feels about what we have done", she said and looked at Feff, who'd expected the question.

Some of the other Lords had expressed similar sentiments, leading to long and heated arguments.  
"Ahlt is a strict traditionalist and devoted to the Emperor. But he's also a realist, and while he won't like the situation he'll have to accept it and go from there. There really isn't an alternative unlike he prefers us to have a civil war", Feff said, repeating his earlier argument while leaving out various curses he'd thrown in for emphasis. "We can't expect to be received as conquering heroes, a hostile reception is more likely. But if given the chance we will explain what happened and justify our actions. If that doesn't work, we'll fight". This most likely wasn't what she'd expected to hear, but Ishtar needed to know the truth. She nodded, lost in thought. There wasn't anything else he could tell her, and probably she'd suspected as much, and yet Feff could sense her disappointment. He took a deep breath, trying to think of something that would cheer her up, but nothing came to mind. It was getting late too, the bridge crew was probably wondering where he was, and yet he didn't want to leave Ishtars and this lovely room, in fact he wanted to spend the rest of his life here in her company.

Ishtar glanced longingly at the closed computer by Feff's side, yearning to lose herself in the happy images and sounds from her brief time on Earth. She missed the beautiful planet, the home of her Human friends and resting place of the Alus. But Hibiki's gift had been claimed by the commander, as was his right. She'd noticed the change in Feff's demeanor when he'd learned about the computer, but he was wrong in assuming that he could suppress her feelings as well, she thought, suddenly feeling rebellious. Everything she'd encountered on planet Alus was still fresh in her mind, especially the kindness Hibiki had shown her. Now the scientists would poke around in the little machine and find whatever the special surprise was Hibiki had told her about, and this upset her. A discreet cough drew her attention and she remembered Feff's presence, and that she'd never responded to his last statement. She raised her head and looked at the young male sitting close by, still uncomfortable and yet determined to stay on, and her anger was replaced by affection. She recalled how he'd set her free just a few days ago, although the decision was clearly so hard for him. Without Feff's sacrifice there would have been no victory, no freedom. Ishtar smiled, realizing how they'd all been instruments of the prophecy, some willing, some less so.

"Yes, we'll explain what happened. Lord Ahlt will see that we had no choice but to kill the tyrant, otherwise he would have killed us. And I know the power of the Alus won't desert us, now that we've come so far!", she said and trailed her fingers in the cool water of the pool, watching the tiny waves caused by her movement. Feff remained silent. Ishtar's faith in the ship of prophecy was limitless, and so far she'd been right, as predicted the Marduk had freed themselves from their oppressor. But the prophecy said nothing of the aftermath, indicating that their fate was now in their hands. And what more could one ask but a chance at a better life? Whether they'd find success or fail was up to them, and he was eager to face the challenge. "I've composed a new song, would you like to hear it? It's about our future, and hope and anticipation of the wonderful things to come", Ishtar said with a shy smile and Feff nodded. "Yes, please sing", he said and leaned back as her beautiful voice poured forth, strong and clear.


	15. Chapter 15

Macross II: Past and Future 

A Macross II fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, MII doesn't belong to me, only to its copyright holders and I'm making no money from the use of the MII characters. Only the story itself and the OC's in it belong to me and I'm still not making any money!

A/N: Happy holidays to all readers!

Ch. 15 Return to the homeworld

Angry and disgusted, Feff stared at the small screen. So this was the Human males idea of a surprise? Unable to endure it any longer he slammed the cover of the little machine shut and pushed it away, then took a deep breath. His heart was racing and his hands were trembling. How could he have underestimated the degenerate's capacity for indecency? Feff closed his eyes, trying to forget what he'd seen, but the images of nude, entangled bodies were firmly imprinted on his mind. This was the favorite way Humans liked to interact, the sparse text had implied and the memory made his stomach churn. Had Ishtar seen these disgraceful pictures? The thought of his emulator being polluted by the Human perversions nauseated him, but he also felt a keen sense of shame because looking at the mating males and females had awakened a powerful need to experience those ecstacies. Worse yet, his feverish imagination cast himself and Ishtar in the roles of the debauched participants. Feff rushed into the bathroom and splashed water on his flushed face, but the icy liquid seemed to turn into steam on his overheated skin.

Only now did he fully grasp the importance of mental purity that Ingues had often stressed. Before today he'd had no inkling what the hidden parts of a female body looked like and only guessed at what was covered by the emulator's uniform. Painfully aroused, Feff groaned, remembering the startling intricacies of an anatomy so unlike his. The concept of people merging physically belonged to the ancient times when the Marduk had been little more than crass animals, so his and countless generations before were taught. Technology had refined the process and freed the people from the vile necessities imposed by nature, and yet mere pictures were powerful enough to unleash a yearning for something that had long been forgotten by his race.

"Lord Feff, we are orbiting the homeworld", the communicator interrupted his restless pacing. "The scout units have reported no presence of vessels and our efforts to make contact go unanswered. What are your commands?" Muttering curses, Feff left his quarters and hurried to the command deck. One look at the big screen showed that his peers had moved their fleets into position, the survivors of the great battle were ready to make landfall. Entering the planets airspace was a risky maneuver even though the scouts had encountered no resistance. The lack of defense forces was surprising. At the very least there should be a phalanx of Zentran and Meltran ships guarding the homeworld. "Hail the fleets to coordinate our approach! Ishtar, are you listening? We are about to land!", he said. "I am ready!", the emulators responded immediately and her soft voice brought a flood of distracting images to mind. "Stay alert, there may be an ambush!", he snapped and gave the signal to advance. The picture on the big screen changed from dark space to the planets surface as they raced through thick cloud cover. "We've been hailed and given coordinates! The signal comes from one of the underground cities!", a bridge tech shouted. "Transmit the information!", Feff replied, eyes fixed on the screens. Now the surface came into clear view and straight ahead was the port below which the signal originated from. The techs shouted out stats and the communication lines clattered with calls from the other ships, but Feff was concentrating on what he saw. The port was utterly empty and only cavernous openings to the subterrainian levels were visible. A few minutes later the first Zentran units landed and secured the airfield. It wasn't long before they broadcast the all clear signal to the waiting armada.

"Ishtar, meet me in the hangar", Feff said and turned to address the bridge crew. "Stay at your posts and remember the procedures. It may be some time before I return, until then Lord Terz is in charge. Deploy guards outside the ship and don't let anyone but me enter. If you encounter hostile forces withdraw, I will rejoin you later!" The officers nodded and saluted smartly and Feff returned the gesture and left. If he felt some misgivings putting his flagship and crew in another man's hands, Terz was at least well qualified for the job. Smart and dependable, he'd lost his fleet in the battle against Ingues and like many in the same situation was now reduced to hitching a ride with another commanders ship. Ishtar was already waiting in the hangar, and Feff could tell that she wanted to accompany him. The sight of her triggered a rush of powerful emotions and he struggled to regain his composure. "Where are we going now? I can't wait to see our home!', she said cheerfully. "I'm joining up with the other commanders to seek out Lord Ahlt,  
he's in one of the cities below ground. You will remain on board, this mission doesn't require your participation", Feff replied a bit too sharply. The spurned emulator's smile faded and her disappointment was palpable. "I know you're eager to go, but it's better you stay here until I'm sure it's safe. There's no telling what we might encounter,", he continued in a gentler tone. "But if it's unsafe for me doesn't that mean it's also unsafe for you? I'm not afraid!", she said defiantly. "I can take care of myself, Lady!", Feff answered, amused by her concern. Ishtar nodded reluctantly, realizing she had no choice but to obey. "Please tell Lord Ahlt about the Alus!", she called out as he climbed into the pilotseat of the Gilgamesh. "Stay in your quarters until I return. In the meantime Terz's in charge, ask him if you require anything", Feff said and guided the giant mecha out of the ship onto the tarmac. The other Lords were already assembled and after squabbling over who'd be in charge of the mission they piloted their Gilgameshes through the entrance to the lower levels. "Where is everyone?There should be workers and guards here!", a voice came over the commo lines. "They probably evacuated, someone answered. "But why? They can't just abandon their posts!", the first caller insisted. "Fool, most likely they're preparing a trap for us!", the second voice snapped. Feff ignored the ensuing argument and focused on what the readouts of his instruments showed. The place was as empty of life as the port, and yet there were ships of various sized docked, so at one time the hangar had been in use. "I'll post some Zentran here to search the ships and guard the exit", Feff announced before giving the necessary orders.

The loose formation of Marduk and Zentran mechas left and proceeded down seemingly endless corridors that led to more hangars and supply rooms, some completely empty, others ransacked and strewn with trash. "Lord, we've searched the vessels and found none fit for take-off because crucial elements have been removed. All mecha and emergency rations are gone as well", one of the Zentran at the hangar reported. "I believe the damage is fairly recent, but we've found no-one in the area." Feff frowned, troubled by this news. He knew of several reasons to cannibalize a ship, and none promised anything good. He tensed up as his group exited into a vast open space. Large gray buildings stood tightly clustered as far as the artificial horizon, with narrow lanes running in every direction. "I'm picking up some movement in the city, a large number of mecha is approaching!", a Lord announced and Feff's instruments confirmed this report. "That could be Ahlt and his men, they aren't responding to our calls. I'm sending in the Zentran!",the Lord in charge snarled when a massive explosion rocked the ground. The road buckled and some mecha disappeared in the gaping hole. Feff cursed as small arms fire peppered his Gilgamesh. The submerged fighters were coming back to the surface, none the worse for wear, but the approaching enemy mecha presented a serious challenge. Losing no time, they opened fire and some of their missiles found their targets. The air was filled with the noise of battle as the opposing forces clashed.

"Take them out! Lets show them what we think of this welcome!", the mission commander ordered, and the combined firepower of Lords and Zentrans quickly reduced the enemy mecha to scrap. Having disposed of the greatest threat the Lords now turned their attention to the snipers shooting from the protection of the houses. The decisive onslaught destroyed many buildings and Zentran units moved in to secure the perimeter and deal with stragglers. "Do you think Ahlt is behind this attack?", the question came over Feff's communicator. "We'll know as soon as we find him", he replied, reluctant to speculate. His Gilgamesh had escaped serious damage and very few in his group were down. The enemy had suffered far heavier losses, and this part of the city was nothing but rubble, he noted with satisfaction. He felt no pangs of conscience fighting against his own people. An enemy was anyone who'd attack him, and thus deserved an appropriate response.

Standing by the window in her quarters, Ishtar scrutinized the view and shuddered. The homeworld looked nothing like she'd expected. This was the most desolate place imaginable, and she felt no connection at all to this drab, alien place. She turned away from the depressing sight, uncertain what to do next. Feff's decision to leave her behind still rankled, and so did this imposed inactivity. Just then she felt a slight rumble and knew that the engines were running and the ship was preparing for lift-off. "Where are we going? Has Lord Feff already returned?", she asked after hastily establishing contact with the bridge. "We're leaving the planet. The delegation has encountered armed resistance and now enemy units are approaching our position", a deep voice replied, this most likely was Lord Terz. "But we can't just leave him behind, Feff needs our help!", Ishtar pleaded but Terz would have none of it. "I follow the commander's orders, he told us to withdraw! I am certain Lord Feff and the others will handle their situation just fine!", he snapped, insulted to be questioned by this impertinant female. What business had she to butt into the decisions of the commander? He'd heard that Feff had an inappropriate relationship with his emulator, and the singer's emotional behavior confirmed the rumor. "I suggest you take your duty station in case we need your song", Terz said coldly and broke the connection.

Ishtar ran into the transmission room and flung herself into the hoverchair. Her eyes burned with tears of anger and humiliation, but she was afraid as well. So Feff had accurately evaluated the situation after all. what was going on down there? If only he'd taken her along! Her adventures on Earth had sharpened her appetite to play a more active role than the job she'd been trained to do. In frustation she hammered the armrest until the large view screen opened to show the homeworld, now reduced to a small, dingy-gray sphere. This wasn't the homecoming she'd imagined, but just a continuation of the endless fighting they'd endured before the death of Ingues. Had they come this far only to make war with their own people? The message of the Alus was peace, but everyone was too busy fighting to pay any attention to it, she thought and let her tears flow.


	16. Chapter 16

Macross II: Past and Future 

A Macross II fan fiction by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the MII characters don't belong to me, only to their copyright holders and I'm making no money from their use. Only the story itself and the OC's in it belong to me, and I'm still not making any money. If I made money from this I'd donate it to charity.

A/N: It's been how long since I updated?! Seriously, I'm sorry for the delay and I'm already working on ch. 17!

Ch. 16 Deepening divisions

"To sum it up, this is our situation", Feff addressed the assembled crew. Just back from a search and destroy mission in the underground cities he'd called everyone together. Later he'd eat and get some rest, but first there was the meeting to get through. "The homeworlders continue to fight us even though they are poorly equipped and their supplies are running low. This urban combat is a different kind of warfare than what we're used to, but our forces have adapted well and are making good advances. Resisters are scattered throughout the subterranian levels and Lord Ahlt appears to be in charge of the forces, which are comprised mainly of Marduk, but there are a good number of Zentran as well. We haven't encountered any Meltran troops yet, but that doesn't mean there aren't any. As expected, Ahlt refuses to negotiate, but eventually we'll dig him out or he'll die with his men." Feff paused and looked around the room. Many in the audience nodded with grim determination, an expression which mirrored his own.

"The hostiles have a choice, they can surrender or they can fight to the death. The next weeks will prove crucial as the commanders have decided to step up efforts. I don't want anyone to think this situation will be solved quickly, in fact, this may be the beginning of a lengthy campaign. Currently we're assigned to patrol the safe zone, but soon we're going back to the frontline. That's all, you may resume your duties", Feff saluted the listeners and waited as they exited the conference room.

"I don't understand why Lord Ahlt fights us. Does he really think he can win?", a soft voice asked and he turned to see Ishtar, her lovely face bearing an anxious expression. She'd remained silent throughout the meeting, the first she'd ever attended at his insistance to the surprise of the crew. Feff smiled, glad she'd sought him out. There'd been no time for talking since landfall and he missed her company. "Lord Ahlt isn't trying to defeat us, he knows quite well that would be impossible. He's just making things difficult for us. We can't establish a permanent foothold because we have to respond to his continued attacks", Feff explained. "But that doesn't achieve anything!", Ishtar burst out. "Why doesn't he realize that we must work together, for the better of all?" "I don't think he sees it that way. To him we're rebels and traitors, and strictly speaking he's right. Ahlt and his men are warriors just like we are, trained to attack and destroy a hostile force and our defeat of Ingues gives them plenty motivation to carry on, Feff said.

"We're not traitors, we acted in self defense! If only I could explain to Lord Ahlt how Ingues misused our loyalty and tried to kill us all. Surely then he'd understand why we had no choice but to destroy Ingues. So many of us died that day ...", Ishtar said, her voice trembling. "Lady, soldiers are a tool to do with as the commander desires, and our forces have applied this prinicple since ancient times. To be certain, troops shouldn't be used foolishly, but death is a part of war. Even the best leaders make mistakes and fighters die, sometimes needlessly. None of that justifies rebellion", Feff replied, wondering why he even bothered to argue the point. It was obvious that Ishtar didn't care to hear this basic truth. "So, if Ahlt won't listen and he won't give up, how can we solve this stalemate?", she asked, her brows furrowed.

"Just as I said earlier, eventually most of the hostiles will be killed or captured. We won't get all of them, but the remainder will be a nuisance rather than a true danger", Feff said patiently and suppressed a yawn. Only now did the exhaustion of back-to-back missions catch up with him. "I don't expect any of them to give up, no matter what we do. They're already used to deprivations.  
Ingues was supplying the active forces at the cost of the veterans, and they probably resent us for that, too. All they have left now is their lives, and they're not afraid to put them on the line. No, they'll do whatever it takes to keep us busy", he said and looked out of the window onto the featureless landscape beyond. A light rain was turning the fine dust the constantly patroling mechas stirred up into a gray sludge, and the panes were streaked with dirt. He hates this place and rightly so, Ishtar thought as he turned away in disgust from the bleak view. Lauded as the spiritual center of Marduk culture the homeworld was yet another deception Ingues had perpetrated against his people. How easily they'd been mislead by the cruel liar! She suddenly felt an irrational flash of anger against the planet and its claustrophobic cities crawling with enemies.

Ishtar was right in her assessment of the situation, Feff reflected. Not only had the Master driven the active forces across the universe for an insane reason, he'd also betrayed the old ones who'd served him faithfully. Yet the veterans still held to the old ways, and many had already died defending the Emperor's philosophy. There was a certain strength of character here, misplaced though it was. At least their loyalties were intact, something that couldn't be said for him and his peers. Lacking the guidance of a supreme leader the highest ranking of the surviving commanders often argued over who should be in charge, and crucial missions suffered because of this poor leadership.

He sighed and leaned against the wall, desperate for rest. Anyone else but Ishtar he'd chased off long ago, but now it was time to wrap up this topic. "We'll continue to destroy the enemy's supply and communication lines, make raids and capture their leaders. Eventually they will lose, you may be certain of that. Our perimeter is safe and the next priority is to secure the underground levels. Once we control the cities we're in charge of the planet", he said firmly and Ishtar nodded listlessly. The details depressed her.  
All this talk about plans and fighting strategies only confirmed that the message of the Alus was being drowned out by the escalating hostilities. And in a very literal sense, because the homeworlders had disabled their Zentrans auditory receptors. Untouched by the song of love she and the other emulators were broadcasting, the deafened warriors fought furiously and fell in great numbers to Zentran attacks guided by her side. And for the immediate future it would remain thus, Zentran against Zentran, Marduk against Marduk. Two intractable enemies had met and any hope of peaceful coexistance grew dimmer with each battle.

Waiting for the emulator to continue, Feff used the pause in conversation to scrutinize her carefully. Ishtar was again wearing the facial markings of her rank in the singers corps. The pale orange lines enhanced her beauty, as did her skin tight, nearly transparant uniform. What an incredibly revealing garment, he marveled, aware that the sight of mating Humans had opened his eyes to what had always been in plain view. The disgraceful images stored on Ishtar's confiscated laptop flooded his mind, and for a brief moment Feff closed his eyes, repelled as well as fascinated. Maybe later, after a meal and a hot bath he'd look at the pictures again, just for a new moments.

"Are you well?", Ishtar's voice rattled him out of his contemplations. "Forgive me for detaining you, you must be exhausted", she said and moved towards the exit. "Before you go, tell me what the other emulators think", Feff said quickly, hoping to stall her a little longer. The question pleased Ishtar, she'd wanted to bring up this topic. "They worry about the future, Lord. Some fear our position in society will undergo radical changes and others also fear for their personal safety. The sanctity of the emulators realm is under attack, and without a temple to take refuge in we are in peril", she said, blushing slightly. Feff knew precisely what she was referring to. The recent case of a commander forcibly entering his singer's quarters had shocked and angered many.  
Luckily the female escaped before coming to harm, and while the lord was quickly arrested, he received only a verbal reprimand. No wonder that a growing number of emulators refused to leave their quarters to do their duty. One singer even completely abandonded her assigned post and sought refuge on another ship, which led to a serious confrontation between the commanders in charge of the vessels. In the end the singer returned to her station, but the episode left behind a growing sense of unease. While emulators were of crucial importance to success in battle, few lords wanted to interfere in how a fellow commander ran his ship and crew, and discipline suffered. Foolish decisions like this eroded confidence in the leaders, Feff thought.

"Did you see anything resembling a temple during the last mission?", Ishtar asked and sighed when he only shook his head by way of answer. She asked the same question after every mission, and always received the same reply. "Where are the retired emulators if there aren't any temples? It just doesn't make sense! Unless ... You don't suppose they've joined forces with Lord Ahlt?" "We haven't explored all the levels yet, maybe the temples are located deeper below. But no, there's no evidence that Ahlt's forces include females, not even Meltrans. All the bodies recovered have been male", he added, annoyed by this latest mystery. As bad as things already were, problems were brewing with the increasingly nervous Zentran and Meltran forces. Here was yet another crisis in the making, and soon it would require serious attention. So far the warriors did their duty faithfully, but how much longer would the enslaved fight the wars of the masters? Without strong leadership the races were certain to clash, and such a war would be devastating. Some commanders had already suggested a first strike against the Zentran, an utterly idiotic proposal in Feff's opinion. An idea occured to him suddenly, a bold and reckless plan.

"There must be something I can do. Please, let me help!", Ishtar pleaded. She was fed up with being on the sidelines and ached to stop the fighting. "Do you mean it? Because there's a task no one but you can do, but you must understand its risks", Feff said slowly, relieved when he saw a smile light up her features. "What I'm about to ask you to undertake may determine the future of the races, and it's imperative that this stays between us. But, if anyone finds out about this it may well cost us our lives!" "For the good of our people I pledge to do whatever is required and I won't tell a soul!", Ishtar said, trembling with anticipation. Feff smiled, it was exactly what he needed to hear and he'd expected no less from her.


	17. Chapter 17

Macross II: Past and Future

A Macross II fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the MII characters don't belong to me, only their copyright holders and I'm making no profit from their use. Only the story itself and the OC's in it belong to me, and I'm still not making any profit whatsoever!

Ch. 17 Conspirators

"Please consider what I've said, I only wish to help", Ishtar said with a smile, but Aurtieria Friville, the commander in charge of all Meltran didn't seem convinced. The emulator had brought up every talking point Feff had suggested, but not even an impassioned plea for solidarity between females elicited so much as a nod in response from the grimfaced Meltran. The approach always succeeded with her fellow singers, so why did Aurtieria resist? It was after all so very simple. By now she had to be aware of an upcoming compaign against certain members of the Zentran and Meltran forces. Despite the continuing war with the homeworld rebels some high ranking Marduk Lords wanted a pre-emptive strike against the leaders of the slave army they secretly feared. If emulators unschooled in the principles of warfare understood the potentially disastrous consequences of such a foolish strategy, why couldn't the Meltran commander see the advantage of joining the rapidly growing secret coalition?

Maybe the fault wasn't Aurtieria's, maybe she'd just not made the case clear, Ishtar considered while she twirled Hibiki's amulet between her fingers, hoping for strength and inspiration. "I've probably not explained well", she began, but a sharp gesture from the towering female warrier silenced her. "Please don't trouble yourself to elaborate further, Lady, I understand perfectly well. You wish me to convince my sisters-in-arms to cast our allegiance with Lord Feff, because he is, in your words, our best hope for a peaceful future?" "Well, yes, I do believe that is true. Please note that Lord Feff has spoken to the Zentran supreme commander and ..." "No doubt Sarrenth Saen quickly pledged himself to your Lord. I expect as much from a Zentran, they enjoy being led", Aurtieria sneered. "Sorry to disappoint you, Lady, but I cannot follow Saen's example.  
Frankly, I don't see the need to align myself - or my forces, for we are one - with any of the oppressors, no matter what they promise. Remember, while the Alus brought your people freedom mine still remain slaves!", she said, her voice harsh while her green eyes flashed angrily.

The barely restrained fury of the Meltran startled Ishtar. She'd come to the conversation expecting wary distrust, not this open hostility. The female warrior carried a side arm, but made no move toward it. Supremely trained and in control of herself, Aurtieria knew better than to threaten a member of the ruling race. Still, Ishtar kept an eye on the weapon. No wonder Friville didn't fear the Lords, she looked more than capable of protecting herself. Ishtar felt a pang of envy of the other woman's fierce self confidence. And that was probably the reason why she didn't understand how dangerous her situation was, the emulator realized. "Your people have been done a great injustice by my race, and if I had the power to change the past, I would. But we can build a better future! I know you find it hard to trust any Marduk, but my Lords intentions are honorable, as are mine. You are strong, but the enemy is even stronger. The Alus teaches us that peace is the only way for survival. A war between our people must be avoided at all costs. So many of us died in the war over Earth, we simply can't sustain these losses any longer. Divisiveness won't help us now", Ishtar said with quiet urgency. "You really feel we have much in common, Lady. Personally, I believe war between our people is unavoidable. I've served the empire faithfully, and now you tell me I need to fear for my life and battle my masters? So this is the thanks I get for loyalty! Thank you for the visit, Lady, but I must return to my duties!", the Meltran said icily, saluted and stalked off before Ishtar could reply. Helplessly she watched as the older woman entered her flagship. Disgusted with her failure, she wanted to cry, but she wouldn't give Aurtieria the satisfaction of seeing her in tears. Ishtar dropped the amulet from her sweaty hand and smoothed out her flowing robe,  
uncomfortably aware how her ornate costume contrasted with the Meltran's drab uniform. No wonder Aurtieria didn't take her seriously, she'd seen the disdain in her eyes. Ishtar sighed. Instead of making an ally she'd antagonized the commander, and now she had to return to the ship and report to Feff, who wouldn't be pleased with the outcome of this important mission. But then he should have known better than to entrust it to her, she thought as she made her way through the crowded, dusty safe zone.

Feff tapped his foot impatiently as he watched the mechanics work on his Gilgamesh. The mecha stood in the open bay of his flagship, and a number of Zentran tended to various parts of the giant war machine. Of all the bad times to break down, this was the worst, precisely when he needed the mecha, Feff thought. There was always the possibility of borrowing one of the staff officers vehicles, but he preferred his own. So attuned was he with the giant suit that it felt like an extension of his body during battle. And now the Gilgameshes innards were laid bare while the Zentran crawled like insects over a mortally wounded beast. If the mechanics made any progress, he couldn't tell. Putting everything back in order would take time as well, and it was time he was running out of. "Greetings, Lord Feff. I've returned from the talks", a soft voice started him out of his glum thoughts, and he spun around to face the speaker. How did Ishtar always manage to sneak up on him?  
"I didn't notice you approach, Lady. Did your mission go well?", he asked, noting the singer's downcast expression. "I was able to bring the emulators to our side, but Aurtieria Friville refuses to join us", Ishtar said, squinting up at him. "That's unfortunate. What exactly did she say?", Feff asked, relieved that the bad news wasn't quite as dire as he'd feared. The singer moved closer and repeated the conversation in a hushed voice. "Well, at least the emulators support us, that's a great help. Aurtieria may still come around. Let's give her a little time to think it over. Once she gets over her outrage she may change her mind", Feff said and took a small step back. Ishtar's close proximity had an effect on him and he fought to regain his composure. "But now she knows what we're planning. What if she decides to betray us?", she asked nervously, unaware of his turmoil.  
"I don't think she'll do that. Aurtieria must realize that she's in a dangerous situation, and bearing tales won't improve it, in fact, it'll guarantee her death. So there's no advantage for her to turn us in. I believe she'll wait to see how things develop", Feff said and Ishtar nodded, but he could tell that her worries weren't entirely placated. "I hoped to bring better news", she said and hung her head. "Not everyone can be convinced, even when it is in their own best interest", he shrugged as his attention shifted back to the Zentran working on his mecha. One of the mechanics flung a large part to the ground where it shattered into pieces. Feff gritted his teeth. "Watch what you're doing! You'll get someone killed!", he shouted while troops rushed to clear the mess. He turned back to Ishtar who'd watched in silence, still waiting for assurance. Her presence troubled him, and once again his mind was awash with improper thoughts. He didn't need this distraction, not now. "Even without the Meltran commander we have powerful allies. Saen and his troops support us, and so do the emulators", he said, noting that Ishtar had slipped a hand under her cloak. A gust of air parted the garment briefly and he saw that she was clutching the pendant the little Human had given her back on Earth. The realization that she was still thinking of the alien male did little to improve his mood. "Thank you for what you've done!", he snapped, unable to keep the irritation out of his voice.

"What is wrong with the Gilgamesh?", Ishtar asked and averted her eyes from Feff's glare. She didn't understand his sudden flash of anger. This was the second time today someone reacted towards her in that manner, and she didn't like it. "A problem came up during regular maintenance, and so far it hasn't been fixed", he snarled, but now his fury was directed at the Zentran, and Ishtar relaxed a little. "Oh, I thought you were getting it ready for a new mission, she said. "No, we're still stuck here guarding the safe zone, but word came that one of the frontline units is hard on the heels of Lord Ahlt. They may capture him at any moment, and I want to be there! Mechanics! How much longer?", Feff shouted and a crisp reply drifted down from the mecha. "Yes, there's no way I will miss meeting my former mentor face to face, even if I have to get there on foot", he said without a trace of humor. Ishtar smiled, she could understand his urgency, she too was eager to meet Ahlt. She knew better than to ask to come along, although she desperately wanted to tell him of the Alus. But that would have to wait, she had no illusions about who'd get to talk to the rebel commander first. Only once the Lords were finished with Lord Ahlt, she might get a chance to talk to him. Ishtar sighed and pressed the amulet until it cut into her skin. The inspiration she'd hoped for had never come. Could it be the Alus had forsaken her? She'd not heard its voice since they left Earth. Maybe the ship of prophecy was powerful only on the world it had chosen as its resting place, she mused while Feff listened intently to a Zentran mechanic reporting. The Zentran's descriptions meant nothing to her, but Feff's mood notably improved, so it was good news after all. Ishtar turned to look at the drab gray and featureless horizon. The Alus came from this planet, and she still held out hope that the underground temples and their female attendants would soon be found. The homeworld was a strange place, filled with secrets. Nothing made sense here, and yet she felt that they stood on the cusp of a great revelation. "It's time we learn the truth", she said softly. Interrupting his discussion with the Zentran, Feff looked at her for a moment. "I couldn't agree more", he said grimly.


	18. Chapter 18

Macross II: Past and Future

A MII fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, MII and it's characters doesn't belong to me, only its copyright holder and I'm making no money from the use of the MII brand. Only the story itself and the OC's in it belong to me, and I'm still not making any money.

For Crop - I miss you.

Ch. 18 A meeting of rebels

"What did he say so far?", Feff asked the man standing next to him. He, along with dozens of others was crowded into the interrogation room of Lord Kort's flagship to stare at the stooped figure in the center. Some hours earlier Kort's troops had fought and captured Lord Ahlt and his fellow rebels down in the lower levels of the city.

"Not one word, the stubborn fool is playing dumb", the man replied, frowning. Feff worked his way to the front of the crowd until he was almost within touching distance of Ahlt. The Zentran guards posted by the old man raised their weapons slightly. "Please stand back for your own safety, Lord. None may approach the prisoner", one said. At these words Ahlt raised his head and looked Feff straight in the eyes. Pale and watery, they held his gaze for a moment before his head drooped again, as if worn out by the effort. Shocked by the old man's appearance, Feff took a deep breath. It was hard to believe that this was the enemy who'd masterminded the resistance and held them off for weeks. Clad in a tattered uniform and robe which barely covered his skeletal frame, Ahlt didn't resemble his vigorous self from years ago much anymore. Dark bruises on his face also testified to rough treatment. Just them the crowd parted to let Lord Kort pass through. The heavyset commander purposefully strode up to Ahlt and turned to address the assembly.

"Fellow lords, this is a momentous occasion! The rebel leader Ahlt is my prisoner, and his followers are dead! Now nothing stands between us and taking possession of the homeworld!" Kort waited until the polite applause of his peers died down. "Deprived of the possibility of escape, Ahlt and his men fought desperately, but fell before the might of my fighters!", he continued, savoring his victory. Without a doubt Kort expected to be made supreme commander as reward for his achievement, Feff mused while he watched the reaction of the other lords. What he saw there spelled trouble for Kort's ambitions. Most of the faces expressed doubts. The men knew that the capture of the rebel leader didn't mean the resistance was dead. Already new attacks had taken place, which indicated that some rebels had survived and a new leader was in command.

Eager for further accolades, Kort finally turned to his prisoner to gloat. "You resisted our lawful entry of the homeworld, and for that you'll be held responsible. Make it easier on yourself and answer my questions, and I may be merciful. What do you say, Ahlt?"

The old man raised his head and looked at the man confronting him. Suddenly no longer frail, he straightened out until he stood taller than Kort. His gaze cleared until his eyes resembled burning embers. "By what authority do you question me? I've trained most of you and you will treat me with respect! Address me by my proper rank if you expect an answer!" Kort's face reddened and he opened his mouth to respond, but Ahlt cut him off. "Furthermore, how dare you call your invasion of our planet lawful? You're nothing but lowly cowards and it is you who will pay for killing the Master!" An angry murmur rose from the crowd, and Ahlt grinned, exposing a ragged toothline. "Oh, did you truly think we'd welcome you after what you did? Traitors and kingslayers, your reward shall be death!", he spat.

"You're wrong to insult us!", the man next to Feff shouted, goaded beyond his endurance. "You were not there when the Master tried to kill us all! Ingues was insane and we had a right to defend ourselves!"

"Silence! As supreme commander it was the Emperor's decision to discipline his troops, and doubtlessly the punishment was justly deserved! Who are you to criticise his motives?", Ahlt thundered.

"We are the lone survivors of the great battle!", a young lord shouted. "Have you noticed how many are missing from our ranks? That's because the Master killed the others! Turning against Ingues didn't come easy to us, we were his loyal followers until he betrayed us!"

Ahlt flashed the young man an angry look. "The Emperor's word is our command. Soldiers don't pick and choose which orders they obey, fool! Would you accept it if your subordinates questioned your orders? No, it's every Marduk's honor-bound duty to obey and die if necessary. Is that clear? Did I not hammer this lesson into your thick skulls in class? How could you develop the notion that you need not follow orders?"

Still eager to argue his point, the young lord continued. "The prophet emulator told us the Alus rested on the planet the Master wanted us to destroy. And when she sang the song of love, he went mad. It was then we realized ... "

"An emulator told you what? You listened to a woman?", Ahlt said, almost slackjawed with surprise. "You mean to tell me that the word of a lowly female meant more to you that the Master's orders? And what is this nonsense about the Alus?", he roared as the crowd shrank away before his fury.

"It is all true, Lord Ahlt", a voice came from the back of the room and Toht stepped out of the shadows. "The ship of prophecy came back, just as Lord Feff's emulator foretold. It's a miracle!", he said and bowed slightly before the enraged elder. "After Lady Ishtar sang the song of love to motivate us, Lord Feff led the attack - but I should let him speak", Toht added and all turned to stare at Feff.

Pushing his guards aside Ahlt moved forward until he was face to face with Feff. "I remember you. You were in the last class I taught. Would you care to clarify exactly how your emulator became a prophet and caused the death of the Master?", Ahlt said through clenched teeth. Feff stared back into the old man's flickering eyes. The lords surrounding them stepped back, giving the adversaries room. Somewhere off to the side was Toht, doubtlessly enjoying the spectacle. Toht had launched his attack without warning, and now everyone was waiting to see how he'd extricate himself from this situation, Feff thought as he considered his options.

"Lady Ishtar had a vision as my fleet approached the planet, Lord Ahlt, that is true", he said slowly, never letting his gaze waver. "I'll admit at first I didn't believe her, but later the Master himself confirmed that the ship which rose from the planet to attack his fortress was indeed the Alus. It was then Ingues went mad and attacked us although up until then we'd followed his orders faithfully."

"That's it?", Ahlt spat.

"No, there's more. I saw my emulator survive blasts which should have reduced her to ashes, but she stood on the remains of the Alus, and sang bravely during heavy fire to end the war. The ancient prophecy was fulfilled before our eyes. I also learned that the inhabitants of the planet know some words of our language. One of their earlier cultures used many of our terms. How is this possible, Lord Ahlt? Is there a connection between our race and the people of Earth? So much has been hidden from us, maybe you can enlighten us!", Feff said.

"You have been tricked, fool. In the history of Marduk there's never been a female prophet! Your emulator lied!", Ahlt began, but Feff would have none of it.  
"No, it's no trick and Ishtar is no liar", he replied, his anger growing.

"He's right, we were all witnesses!", someone in the crowd shouted. Ahlt's cheeks were now twitching, and a thin line of spittle seeped through his pinched lips. Feff suddenly felt sorry for the old man. Blindly devoted to the Emperor, Ahlt would never believe the truth, and there was no way to convince him otherwise. The entire exchange was pointless. Then he remembered what Ishtar had asked him to do. "Permit me to ask you something else, Lord Ahlt. Our troops haven't found any temples or located any females yet. Where are the retired emulators and the Meltran troops? Please tell us where to find them!" The old man stared back at Feff, pure hatred in his eyes.

"I will tell you nothing, traitor! In all my life I've never witnessed such depravity in one of my own race. Are you even a Marduk? If you have a shred of dignity left you'll first kill the woman and then yourself!", he snarled.

"I am as much Marduk as you are, Lord Ahlt, but I will not kill a truth teller nor will I die for a mad tyrant. Once I thought this was my fate, but I've learned much since!", Feff scoffed. The old man opened his mouth to reply but was cut short by an enraged Lord Kort. Forgotten in the exchange, he grabbed Ahlt by a spindly arm and yanked him back.

"That's enough, step back! Remember, he's my prisoner, not yours! Only I have the authority to interrogate him. Now tell me what you know of suffer the consequences!", he shouted at Ahlt who remained silent. "You'll regret this!", Kort hissed and motioned for the science officer to come forward. "All you others leave now, there's work to be done here!', he added with a venomous glance at the old man being strapped into the examination device.

"Do you think he'll survive the torture?", someone asked Feff. Just then a high pitched scream rose as they exited the room. "He's not exactly sturdy. Besides, Ahlt was once one of us. It just doesn't seem right to treat him like this!", the lord added. Feff shrugged by way of reply. The old man's fate was out of his hands, there was nothing he could do. Kort wouldn't miss the opportunity to wrench information from Ahlt, even if it would kill the old man.

"I have a feeling he's not going to give anything away, no matter what they do to him", he said, his attention drawn by one of the Zentran guards standing by the exit. The warrior motioned towards him discreetly and Feff hung back until the other lords had left the area.  
"We've found what you've been looking for", the Zentran said in a low voice.  
"Where?", Feff asked after making sure there were no witnesses.  
"Not far from where the rebel was captured", came the answer. "No one but Commander Saen and you know of the discovery,  
Lord!"  
"Finally some good news! I'll get Ishtar and we'll inspect the site!", Feff said, pleased to get the news. He grinned as he hurried back to his flagship. He couldn't wait to tell Ishtar that finally a temple had been found.


	19. Chapter 19

Macross II: Past and Future

A Macross II fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the MII characters don't belong to me, only their copyright holders and I'm making no profit from the use of the MII characters. Only the story itself and the OC's in it belong to me, and I still don't make any profits!

Ch. 19 Mysteries of the temple

"Thank you so much for bringing me here! I nearly gave up hope a temple would be found, I can still barely believe it!", Ishtar said and a shudder of delight went through Feff as her warm breath caressed the back of his neck. Crouched behind the pilot seat in the cramped cockpit of the Gilgamesh, Ishtar couldn't wait to reach the site. The instrument screens covering every surface were easily visible, but the mecha was going too fast to allow her a good look at the lower level of the city. Maybe later there'd be time to explore further, she thought.

Feff remained silent, he was too occupied monitoring his communication lines and guiding the mecha into the narrow passages of the destroyed residential area. Most of the rebels holed up in this sector had been routed, but there was always the possibility of an ambush. The fact that he didn't have permission to be here in the first place didn't bother him too much, he'd just be discreet on this unscheduled excursion. But if this discovery promised to be worthwhile, who better to investigate it than his emulator? She deserved to see the temple first before everybody else crawled all over it. She'd been so happy when he told her about it, not since her adventures on Earth had he seen her so exited. "We're here", he said and pointed out a spot in the rubble that stood out only by the presence of one lone Zentran mecha. Feff sat down his Gilgamesh at a short distance and waited until the pilot seat was lowered to the ground, all the while scanning the horizon for signs of trouble.

Ishtar carefully picked her way through the rubble. Large twisted chunks of prefab materials littered the ground, and not a single undamaged building was in sight. Close by towered both mecha, gleaming in the middle of devastation. Ishtar stopped when she came across a yawning chasm in the middle of the path. Here the ground was pitch black and glassy smooth, polished by the infernal heat of a powerful discharge. Someone died here, she thought and whispered a prayer under her breath.  
"Watch your step, the footing's treacherous", Feff warned. He'd gone ahead to exchange some information with the Zentran pilot, and now he wanted to offer Ishtar his help, but he knew better than to do so in full view of the man. Although the Zentran was bound by his commander's pledge of loyalty he saw no reason to give anyone further cause for gossip. "The entrance is over there, do you see it?", he asked and pointed her in the right direction. Hidden by debris, she saw only a dark recess in what was left of a large building. She stepped closer to inspect the site. "Here's some writing", she said and gently brushed her gloved fingers over the crumbling stone. Only a fraction of the carving was visible, and she struggled to decipher the meaning. "I can't read it, it's too damaged", she said and turned back to Feff and the Zentran.

Unable to conceal her disappointment, she frowned. Naively, she'd expected a temple similar to the imposing structure on the Emperor's fortress, certainly not a hole in the ground below a wrecked building. The two males waited briefly for her to speak, and after an encouraging nod from Feff the Zentran stepped forward.  
"With your permission, Lady", he said hesitantly and his face slowly turned red. "It doesn't look like much from here, but the entrance leads to stairs which go deep below. At first I thought it was a rebel hideout. Of course I didn't step inside, but I could see some detail with this", he said and gestured towards a powerful flashlight.

"This is a very important discovery, I'm glad you found it", Ishtar said and smiled at the nervous soldier. By now his discomfort was palpable, and beads of sweat decorated his forehead. Saluting sharply, the Zentran turned back to Feff, who'd watched the exchange wondering if he ever looked this foolish in the company of a female.

"We'll need more than a flashlight to inspect the site", he said, and glad to have a task the Zentran raced back to his mecha to fetch more equipment. It took him only a brief time to demonstrate how the lights worked, but Feff was now very uncomfortable with sending his emulator into the deep alone. The site seemed stable enough, and there was no indication of a hostile presence, yet he still disliked the idea of Ishtar exploring the subterranian temple on her own. But there was no help for it, even if he could squeeze through the tiny entrance. Temples were strictly off-limits for males, at least they'd always been and he knew of no change in the policy.

"I'm ready now", Ishtar said and tightened her grip on the long string of lights. The entrance was narrow, but no obstacle for her. Impatiently, she looked at Feff, silently urging him on. "Be careful inside, don't take any risks and return right away if you encounter any danger. I will let you know when we need to leave, our time here is limited", he said and watched nervously as she slipped into the gap.

The going was easier than she'd expected and Ishtar quickly put up some lights until the small area was brightly illuminated. Ahead was a broad flight of steps carved from solid rock. They led downwards at a steep angle, and standing at the top Ishtar closed her eyes for a moment, thinking of generations of emulators walking up and down the worn steps. She inhaled deeply, tasting the stale air. The walls of this chamber were distressingly bare, as was the floor under its thick cover of dust. "There's nothing here. I'm going to check out whatever is below", she said loudly, and Feff's quick reply, warning her again to be careful drifted in. Ishtar's feet stirred up clouds of dust, and grey motes glittered in the bright shaft of light she aimed ahead. Obviously no one had been here for a very long time, she thought and squealed loudly when out of the corners a dark shape advanced on her. A moment later she realized it was only her shadow, grotesquely distorted by the light, and giggling nervously, she went on.

"Are you all right? What happened?", Feff's muffled voice anxiously demanded, and she shouted a brief explanation. Straight ahead the steps ended in a narrow hallway which led to an empty antechamber. Walking quickly, Ishtar saw that beyond was a large room whose walls were covered in brightly colored frescos. She rushed inside and nearly collided with what she knew was an altar, although modern temples no longer used them. With trembling fingers she set up the equipment, and soon the room was brightly lit. Temporarily blinded, she raced back into the hallway to inform Feff of her discovery, then returned to the room. The layer of dust was disturbed all over, as if many people had recently been here. There must be another entrance, she thought, exited by the possibility of local emulators attending the temple. But when she finally turned her attention to the walls her good mood evaporated. The painted figures were defaced, obscured by deep gouges aimed so that most details were gone. Tears shot into Ishtar's eyes. Staring at the damage, she tried to understand how someone could methodically destroy the beautiful frescos. Why defile this holy place, she wondered and bitterly disappointed, she walked over to the altar.

Carved of dark stone, it lacked any kind of decoration. Only when she crouched down did she notice a small opening right below the top, invisible to a casual observer. She slipped her hands into the dark slot and flinched when her fingers encountered something. She pulled until a dark, heavy object came into view. She knew right away what it was, even though items such as this were no longer in use. During her training in the fortress temple she'd seen one like it and been denied access. But there was no one to hold her back now, and Ishtar carefully placed the fragile artifact on the altar. The covers, bound in some unknown material were rotting, and the brittle pages were yellowed, but that didn't detract from the beauty of the book. She took a deep breath and opened the cover. At first the images danced before her eyes, but soon she was able to make out figures, strangely dressed males and females moving among exotic animals and lush plants. "Our ancestors", she whispered, enchanted by the glimpse into a culture long gone. The pictures were accompanied by writing so archaic that only a few letters resembled the modern script, and while she couldn't read a single word, the images told many stories.

Assuming they were accurate, the homeworld had once been beautiful. The artist had taken great care to capture the lives of the ancients in great detail. Clad in colorful garments and richly adorned, the ancestors didn't look much like modern Marduk, and yet Ishtar felt a connection. Depicted in various activities, the Marduk of the past led busy lives, having no technology to aid them in their daily tasks, but they also took time to make music and celebrate. Here a group of women was depicted in a vigorous dance while proud warriors looked on, and Ishtar felt herself blush when she studied an image of a male and a female embracing tightly, their limbs entwined, their lips pressed together in a passionate kiss. Unlike their descendants, the ancients didn't observe the seperation of the sexes. Ishtar furrowed her brows as she moved closer to scrutinize the picture. At the margins were smaller figures, tiny males and females, offering large red flowers to the kissing couple, as if celebrating their passion.

Isthar took a deep breath to steady herself. The Marduk in these pages resembled Humans, not just in their appearance but also in their actions! In fact, some of the images even looked familiar, as if she'd recently seen them elsewhere. Maybe back on Earth? Hibiki had shown her so much of his wonderful, carefree culture. And had he not mentioned the strange coincidence of Marduk words occuring in the language of an long-dead people? She turned another page and gasped in surprise. The image before her was so shocking, so deeply indecent she couldn't bear the sight of it and reflexively slammed the cover shut. Page fragments danced in the air, stirred by her breath, and her heart froze. "No, please, I didn't mean to ...", she whispered and threw the cover open again. But the pages had desintegrated into a pile of colorful pieces, the ancient Marduk had become dust. Ishtar stifled a sob. As if in response, the floor trembled and a deep roar came from above. Feff's voice was barely audible over the noise, but she knew already what he was trying to tell her. They were under attack and had to leave now. A large part of the ceiling came loose and thundered to the ground, barely missing her. Cracks opened in the walls and dust filled the air and threatened to choke her. Nearly blind and coughing desperately, Ishtar stumbled out of the room and up the stairs.

Waiting anxiously at the entrance, Feff unceremoniously swept the emulator into his arms and raced back to his mecha. "Are you hurt?", he shouted over the din of battle. The rebels fire was very close now and the Zentran was already fighting back. Crouched once again behind the pilot seat, Ishtar coughed until her eyes watered.

"I'm fine, but the temple! There's a book in there, and painted walls, we can't let them destroy it!", she sobbed, realizing as she said it that the temple and its artifacts were lost. Feff didn't reply, he'd no intention of risking both their lives to protect the ruin. Nor was there time to waste, the enemy was advancing fast, he could already see their mecha. Later he'd ask Ishtar about what she'd found, but now there were rebels to deal with, and grimly he began his counter attack.


	20. Chapter 20

Macross II: Past and Future

A Macross II fan fic by Wega the blue sun. No copyright infringement is intended, the MII characters don't belong to me, only their copyright holders and I'm making no profit from the use of the MII characters. Only the story itself and the OC's in it belong to me, and I still don't make any profit.

Ch. 20 Acceptable losses

Frustrated with her failure at the task she'd set for herself, Ishtar pushed away the sketch and went to the small window of the cabin. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't reproduce the images of the temple book, even though they were perfectly clear in her mind. Since her return she'd been unable to think of anything else, but her lack of training in the visual arts kept her from recording what she'd seen. Ishtar sighed and rested her forehead against the cool window. Maybe it would be best to forget about the book, it was gone for good now, damaged first by accident, then utterly destroyed in the raid. "No, I can't keep this information to myself, everyone has a right to it!", she said to the empty room. The book would have been an invaluable teaching tool, giving the modern Marduk a glimpse of their ancestors.

And what incredible lives they'd had, filled not just with toil but also happiness and companionship. According to the book the ancients approached life unencumbered by the restricting beliefs which Ingues had imposed on his people. The Marduk of the past relished the company of the opposite sex and reveled in their bodies. Recalling the images of their cavorting made the blood rush to Ishtar's face until her cheeks burned. The picture of a couple surrounded by small figures she now understood to be children was particularily memorable. Even though she'd been taught that once her people engaged in vile practices, seeing proof was almost more than she could bear. Now this behavior was strictly taboo, and subject to severe punishment. Considering the possible consequences, should the facts of how the ancients lived be made public? Compared with their ancestors, the modern Marduk were pure and innocent. Such forbidden knowledge could prove to be dangerous and throw the already fragile society into chaos.

"Have you heard the latest news?", the older commander slumped in the seat across asked Feff. Both were part of the crowd waiting for yet another staff meeting, but as so often something more important than briefing the lower ranks occupied the high level officers. A number of them stood huddled at the far end of the room, engaged in animated but hushed conversation. Feff simply shook his head by way of reply. He'd been told nothing so far, and he needed reliable information, particularily if anyone was aware of his little excursion into the lower levels with Ishtar. Hopefully the destruction of the temple had gone unnoticed, he felt no urge to explain their presence at the site. According to her the temple contained incredible artifacts, but now that all was lost, he saw little reason in letting the others know about that. "What's new?", he finally asked when it seemed the older man was about to nod off.

"Ahlt's dead", the commander said and took a deep drink from the large cup he was holding in a trembling hand. "They used everything at their disposal, but couldn't get much out of him", he added. Feff frowned at the unwelcome news. He'd feared that the elderly man would not survive, but although Ahlt had been hostile and dangerous, he disapproved of what had happened to his former teacher. "He didn't reveal where the others are holed up, nor did he say how many there are and what kind of resources they have. Supposedly he laughed at his interrogators and taunted them with false leads. They really should have known that a soldier with his training and experience won't break. Besides, a prisoner will say anything just to make the torture stop, and usually they die", the old commander mused. "But I knew Ahlt well once, a long time ago. He was a true believer, completely dedicated to the Master and the Cause, and willing to die for both", he said and took another swig.

"We were all like that, once", Feff said while he cast furtive glances around. The old man's ramblings weren't going unnoticed. A short distance away stood the young Lord he'd often seen hanging around Toht. The man's burning eyes locked with Feff's for a moment before he abruptly turned away.  
"Yes, we were proud warriors with a proper mission", the old commander said loudly. "What has become of us? We kill our veterans in raids on their private quarters and torture our senior leaders to death. And what for? A filthy, exhausted world! I tell you, this is the end of our culture! We should all have died by Ingues's hand, he shouted and several officers turned to cast icy stares in their direction. Angry and embarrassed, Feff wanted to dissappear into thin air. He'd just caught the foul odor of alcohol on the old man's breath. Somehow he'd managed to smuggle a supply back to the homeworld from their encounter with the Humans, since intoxicating substances were unknown to the Marduk. Feff had sampled the stuff back on Earth, and hated the taste and the effect it had on the drinker. The old commander was attracting far too much attention, and the last thing Feff wanted was to be associated with the drunk. Suddenly the old man grabbed his arm and pulled him close.

"Watch your back, young Lord, you have many enemies. Keep a sharp eye on your singer, too", he hissed in Feff's ear before he slumped back into his seat, utterly exhausted. "Who are these enemies?", Feff asked, irritated by the nebulous warning, but the old man wouldn't answer. "Don't waste your time on him, he's fallen prey to the bottled filth the Humans gave him", a voice behind Feff said. "A clear sign of weakness, if you ask me. A true Marduk shuns anything from that degenerate culture! Besides, the meeting is cancelled until further notice. You may return to your post!", the young Lord with the flickering eyes said archly.  
"Is that an order?", Feff stood his ground and stared back at the man, knowing that he had no authority over him.  
After a few moments the young Lord shrugged. "Suit yourself if you enjoy the company of this trash!", he hissed over his shoulder as he walked off.  
"Not too long ago I could have had him killed for speaking disrespectfully of a superior officer", the old commander slurred. "He's dangerous, and so is the one he serves." Feff nodded, but his attention was drawn by the Zentran guarding the entrance. This was the same man Saen had sent with news of the temple. And guessing from the way the soldier was trying to catch his eye, more information was forthcoming.

Outside the ship things were going on as always, Ishtar noted. Troops were streaming through the large gate to the lower levels, sometimes on foot, but primarily in small mecha and other vehicles. It was an orderly procession, a steady coming and going. Bored beyond endurance, she envied these soldiers as they went about their tasks. While Feff and the crew were assigned guard duty her specific talents weren't called for. Maybe a visit to a fellow singer would lift her spirits, she considered when a small figure appeared by the entrance. Coming from the lower levels, it was clearly a female, but not a Meltran. No, the woman striding purposefully towards a stack of supply crates wore an emulator's uniform,  
but there was something odd about her. Her boredom forgotten, Ishtar decided to meet this unusual emulator.  
She was halfway down the hallway when she nearly collided with Feff coming around a corner. "Excuse me, I didn't see you", she said, remembering suddenly he'd forbidden her to leave the ship without his permission. Bad timing, she thought as she searched his expression for indicators to his mood.  
"Where are you going?", he asked, frowning. "I saw an emulator by the entrance to the lower levels and wanted to talk to her", Ishtar said, resigning herself to the tirade that was sure to follow. But Feff remained quiet, waiting for her to continue. "She must be one of the locals, I've never seen her before and I know all the emulators. Her uniform looks different than the one we wear, and she's too old for that particular garment anyway. She looks old enough to be a high priestess. And I saw her take something from the stack of supplies and go back to the entrance again,", she said nervously, now very uncomfortable under her commander's glare.

"And you think it wise to follow this female? Did it occur to you that doing so could put you in grave danger? That you might walk into a rebel trap?", Feff finally said, his voice tight with barely suppressed anger. He'd caught her just in time! "Yes, I thought about that", Ishtar lied. In fact, she'd been consumed by the need to talk to this woman, the first member of a secret community she sensed existed. "I believe it would be best if a female reached out to make contact. Besides, there are guards by the entrance, nothing would have happened to me", she said with a tiny shrug.  
"Oh, you'd entrust yourself to men who can't tell one female from another!", Feff scoffed. "Worse yet, these soldiers are part of my crew, and clearly in need of training if they don't notice a strange female slipping in to steal supplies! Lady, once again you break the rules of this ship and disregard your personal safety! I expressly forebade you to leave without permission and I expect you to obey my orders!", he snapped. Ishtar nodded but remained silent. There was nothing to say, he'd caught her in the act. "This is not the place to talk. Come with me", Feff said suddenly and guided her to the conference room. Once there he motioned for her to take a seat at the head of the large table.

"You probably think me harsh because I confine you to the ship", he said. "I know you're bored and wish to become more involved. But I have very good reasons for my decision. Under certain circumstances it would be appropriate if you contacted a female rebel. But right now I think it best we - and that means you, too - sit tight. Most likely the woman is from the local population. She certainly is bold risk capture by coming out in the open to steal. This indicates that the group she belongs to is desperate for supplies. I'll have the Zentran search for her, it won't be hard to set a trap. But all that aside, I'm concerned that you, Lady, don't think of yourself as part of this crew, but rather as an individual acting alone. This makes you unreliable. You have a duty towards me, this crew and this ship, and I need you to be dependable. I need you to be safe, Ishtar. If I have to worry about you I can't do my work properly, and now more than ever it's imperative that I make no mistakes", Feff said.

"I understand. I won't go off on my own again", Ishtar said. She found it almost impossible to look at her commander. He'd reprimanded her before in very similar terms, but now there was a note of urgency in his speech, and something else that was strangely unsettling. The room suddenly grew hot, sweat was appearing on her brow, and still Feff was staring at her as if he expected something more.  
"I'm sorry", is there anything else?" she finally choked out, her mind a whirl of images starring herself and the male standing in front of her.  
"As a matter of fact, I've heard some very interesting news. But first I want you to tell me about what you found in the temple", Feff said firmly.


End file.
